i18n-check 1.18.1
Check i18n/L10n keys and values
Requires Python: >=3.12
Keywords: i18n, l10n, internationalization, localization, ci, cli

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# Contents

- [About i18n-check](#about-i18n-check)
- [Installation](#installation)
  - [Users](#users)
  - [Development Build](#development-build)
- [Key Conventions](#key-conventions)
- [How It Works](#how-it-works)
  - [Commands](#commands)
  - [Checks](#checks)
  - [Example Responses](#example-responses)
- [Configuration](#configuration)
  - [YAML File](#yaml-file)
  - [Arguments](#arguments)
  - [Additional Arguments](#additional-arguments)
  - [pre-commit](#pre-commit)
  - [GitHub Action](#github-action)
- [Contributing](#contributing)
  - [Contact the Team](#contact-the-team)
  - [Contributors](#contributors)

# About i18n-check

`i18n-check` is a Python package that automates the validation of keys and values for your internationalization and localization processes.

Developed by the [activist community](https://github.com/activist-org), this package helps keep development and i18n/L10n teams in sync when using JSON-based localization processes.

# Installation

## Users

You can install `i18n-check` using [uv](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) (recommended) or [pip](https://pypi.org/project/i18n-check/).

### uv

(Recommended - fast, Rust-based installer)

```bash
uv pip install i18n-check
```

### pip

```bash
pip install i18n-check
```

## Development Build

You can install the latest development build using uv, pip, or by cloning the repository.

### Clone the Repository (Development Build)

```bash
git clone https://github.com/activist-org/i18n-check.git  # or ideally your fork
cd i18n-check
```

### uv (Development Build)

```bash
uv sync --all-extras  # install all dependencies
source .venv/bin/activate  # activate venv (macOS/Linux)
# .venv\Scripts\activate  # activate venv (Windows)
```

### pip (Development Build)

```bash
python -m venv .venv  # create virtual environment
source .venv/bin/activate  # activate venv (macOS/Linux)
# .venv\Scripts\activate  # activate venv (Windows)
pip install -e .
```

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# Key Conventions

`i18n-check` enforces these conventions for all keys:

- All keys must begin with `i18n.`.
- The base path must be the file path where the key is used.
- If a key is used in more than one file, the base path must be the lowest common directory and end with `_global`.
- Base paths must be followed by a minimally descriptive content reference (`i18n-check` only checks content references for formatting).
- Separate base paths with periods (`.`).
- Separate directory / file name components and content references with underscores (`_`).
- Repeated words in the file path, including the file name, must not be repeated in the key.

> [!NOTE]
> Example of a valid file / key pair:
>
> **File:** `components/component/ComponentName.ext`
>
> **Key:** `"i18n.components.component_name.content_reference"`

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# How It Works

## Commands

These are some example commands:

**View Help**

```bash
i18n-check -h
```

**Generate a Configuration File**

```bash
i18n-check -gcf
```

**Generate Test Frontends**

```bash
i18n-check -gtf
```

**Run All Checks**

```bash
i18n-check -a
```

**Run a Specific [Check](#checks)**

```bash
i18n-check -CHECK_ID
```

**Interactive Mode - Add Missing Keys**

```bash
i18n-check -mk -f -l ENTER_ISO_2_CODE
```

## Checks

When `i18n-check` finds errors, it provides directions for resolving them. You can also disable checks in the workflow by modifying the configuration [YAML file](#yaml-file).

You can run these checks across your codebase:

| Check                                                                                        | Command                   | Resolution                                                                                                                                                                              | Fix Command                                                                                                                                              |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Does the source file contain keys that don't follow the required formatting rules?           | `key-formatting` (`kf`)   | Format the keys in the source file to match the conventions.                                                                                                                            | `--fix` (`-f`) to fix all formatting issues automatically.                                                                                               |
| Are key names consistent with how and where they are used in the codebase?                   | `key-naming` (`kn`)       | Rename them so i18n key usage is consistent and their scope is communicated in their name.                                                                                              | `--fix` (`-f`) to fix all naming issues automatically.                                                                                                   |
| Does the codebase include i18n keys that are not within the source file?                     | `nonexistent-keys` (`nk`) | Check their validity and resolve if they should be added to the i18n files or replaced.                                                                                                 | `--fix` (`-f`) to interactively add nonexistent keys.                                                                                                    |
| Does the source file have keys that are not used in the codebase?                            | `unused-keys` (`uk`)      | Remove them so the localization team isn't working on strings that aren't used.                                                                                                         | n/a                                                                                                                                                      |
| Do the target locale files have keys that are not in the source file?                        | `non-source-keys` (`nsk`) | Remove them as they won't be used in the application.                                                                                                                                   | n/a                                                                                                                                                      |
| Do any of localization files have repeat keys?                                               | `repeat-keys` (`rk`)      | Separate them so that the values are not mixed when they're in production. <br> <br> **Note:** The existence of repeat keys prevents keys from being sorted by the `sorted-keys` check. | n/a                                                                                                                                                      |
| Does the source file have repeat values that can be combined into a single key?              | `repeat-values` (`rv`)    | Combine them so the localization team only needs to localize one of them.                                                                                                               | n/a                                                                                                                                                      |
| Are the i18n source and target locale files sorted alphabetically?                           | `sorted-keys` (`sk`)      | Sort them alphabetically to reduce merge conflicts from the files changing. Sorting is done such that periods come before underscores (some JSON extensions do otherwise).              | `--fix` (`-f`) to sort the i18n files automatically. <br> <br> **Note:** The `--fix` option for other checks will sort the keys if this check is active. |
| Do the i18n files contain nested JSON structures?                                            | `nested-files` (`nf`)     | Flatten them to make replacing invalid keys easier with find-and-replace all.                                                                                                           | n/a                                                                                                                                                      |
| Are any keys from the source file missing in the locale files?                               | `missing-keys` (`mk`)     | Add the missing keys to ensure all translations are complete. <br> Keys with empty string values are considered missing.                                                                | `--fix --locale ENTER_ISO_2_CODE` (`-f -l ENTER_ISO_2_CODE`) to interactively add missing keys.                                                          |
| For both LTR and RTL languages, do keys that end in `_aria_label` end in punctuation?        | `aria-labels` (`al`)      | Remove the punctuation, as it negatively affects screen reader experience.                                                                                                              | `--fix` (`-f`) to remove punctuation automatically.                                                                                                      |
| For both LTR and RTL languages, are keys that end in `_alt_text` missing proper punctuation? | `alt-texts` (`at`)        | Add periods to the end to comply with alt text guidelines.                                                                                                                              | `--fix` (`-f`) to add periods automatically.                                                                                                             |

## Example Responses

These GIFs show the response to the command `i18n-check -a` when all checks fail or pass.

### All Checks Fail

![i18n_check_all_fail](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/757a9f6f-7bde-40db-941d-c4e82855a453)

### All Checks Pass

![i18n_check_all_pass](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/c024c368-7691-4489-b8b8-a9844d386177)

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# Configuration

## YAML File

You can configure `i18n-check` using the `.i18n-check.yaml` (or `.yml`) configuration file.

For an example, see the [configuration file for this repository](/.i18n-check.yaml) that we use in testing.

The following details the potential contents of this file:

> [!NOTE]
> When `global.active` is set to `true`, all checks are enabled by default. You can then disable specific checks by setting their `active` value to `false`. This allows for more concise configuration files. Example:
>
> ```yaml
> checks:
>   global:
>     active: true
>   missing-keys:
>     active: false # disabled even though global is active
> ```

```yaml
src-dir: frontend
i18n-dir: frontend/i18n
i18n-src: frontend/i18n/en.json

file-types-to-check: [.ts, .js]

checks:
  # Global configurations are applied to all checks.
  global:
    active: true # enables all checks by default
    directories-to-skip: [frontend/node_modules]
    files-to-skip: []
  key-formatting:
    active: true # can be used to override individual checks
    keys-to-ignore: [] # regexes for ignoring keys
  key-naming:
    active: true
    directories-to-skip: []
    files-to-skip: []
    keys-to-ignore: []
  nonexistent-keys:
    active: true
    directories-to-skip: []
    files-to-skip: []
  unused-keys:
    active: true
    directories-to-skip: []
    files-to-skip: []
    keys-to-ignore: []
  non-source-keys:
    active: true
  repeat-keys:
    active: true
  repeat-values:
    active: true
  sorted-keys:
    active: true
  nested-files:
    active: true
  missing-keys:
    active: true
    locales-to-check: [] # iso codes, or leave empty to check all
  aria-labels:
    active: true
  alt-texts:
    active: true
```

## Arguments

In the `.i18n-check.yaml` or `.i18n-check.yml` [configuration](#configuration) file, provide these arguments:

- `src-dir`: The directory path to your source code.
- `i18n-dir`: The directory path to your i18n files.
- `i18n-src`: The name of your i18n source file.
- `file-types-to-check`: The file types to include in the check.

## Additional Arguments

You can find common additional arguments for using specific web frameworks here:

<details><summary>Vue.js</summary>
<p>

```yaml
file_types_to_check: [.vue]

checks:
  global:
    directories_to_skip: [frontend/.nuxt, frontend/.output, frontend/dist]
```

</p>
</details>

## pre-commit

This is an example of a [prek](https://prek.j178.dev/) or [pre-commit](https://github.com/pre-commit/pre-commit) hook:

```yaml
- repo: local
  hooks:
    - id: run-i18n-check
      name: run i18n-check key-value checks
      files: ^src-dir/
      entry: uv run i18n-check -a
      language: python
      pass_filenames: false
      additional_dependencies:
        - i18n-check
```

## GitHub Action

This is an example YAML file for a GitHub Action to check your `i18n-files` on PRs and commits:

```yaml
name: pr_ci_i18n_check
on:
  workflow_dispatch:
  pull_request:
    branches:
      - main
    types:
      - opened
      - reopened
      - synchronize
  push:
    branches:
      - main

jobs:
  i18n_check:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout Project
        uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Setup Python
        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
        with:
          python-version: "3.12"

      - name: Install uv
        uses: astral-sh/setup-uv@v7

      - name: Install Dependencies
        run: uv sync --frozen --all-extras

      - name: Execute All i18n-check Key-Value Checks
        run: |
          uv run i18n-check -a
```

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# Contributing

See the [contribution guidelines](CONTRIBUTING.md) before contributing. You can help by:

- 🐞 Reporting bugs.
- ✨ Working with us on new features.
- 📝 Improving the documentation.

We track work that is in progress or may be implemented in the [issues](https://github.com/activist-org/i18n-check/issues) and [projects](https://github.com/activist-org/i18n-check/projects).

## Contact the Team

<a href="https://matrix.to/#/#activist_community:matrix.org"><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/activist-org/Organization/main/resources/images/logos/MatrixLogoGrey.png" width="175" alt="Public Matrix Chat" align="right"></a>

activist uses [Matrix](https://matrix.org/) for team communication. [Join us in our public chat rooms](https://matrix.to/#/#activist_community:matrix.org) to share ideas, ask questions, or just say hi to the team.

We recommend using the [Element](https://element.io/) client and [Element X](https://element.io/app) for a mobile app.

## Contributors

Thanks to all our amazing [contributors](https://github.com/activist-org/i18n-check/graphs/contributors)! ❤️

<a href="https://github.com/activist-org/i18n-check/graphs/contributors">
  <img src="https://contrib.rocks/image?repo=activist-org/i18n-check" />
</a>

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