Internationalization, also known as I18N, prepares a product for localization. The process ensures that a product can easily be adapted for audiences in a variety of countries. Localization, also known as L10n, includes the actual translation of content and ensures a brand maintains its global identity while customizing the products or services for local markets.
In general, the most critical components that need to be internationalized before the localization process starts include: hardware support, user interface, customer service features, date and time formats, and data encoding.