Internationalization and Localization Defined

Internationalization is the process of making software portable between languages or regions, while localization is the process of adapting software for specific languages or regions. International software can be developed using interfaces that modify program behavior at runtime in accordance with specific cultural requirements. Localization involves establishing online information to support a language or region, called a locale.

Unlike software that must be completely rewritten before it can work with different native languages and customs, internationalized software does not require rewriting. It can be ported from one locale to another without change. The Solaris system is internationalized, providing the infrastructure and interfaces you need to create internationalized software.

Internationalization and localization are different procedures.

Internationalization is the process of making software that is independent of any locale. It can then be adapted to specific locales.

Basic Steps in Internationalization

An internationalized application's executable image is portable between languages and regions. To internationalize software, you should:

• Use the interfaces described in this book to create software with an environment that can be modified dynamically without the necessity of recompiling the software.

• Divide software into executable and messages. The messages include all printable and displayable messages that the user sees. Keep the message strings in a message catalog.

Message strings are translated for a language and a region. A locale includes the message strings and methods to specify sorting.

Locales are not the same as a language. A language can contain various regions. For example, French is spoken in France and Canada, but each country has different ways of displaying monetary and time information.

To use a localized version of a product, the user sets the environment variables. The product then displays the user messages in their translated form. Date, time, currency and other information is formatted and displayed according to locale-specific conventions.