Pitcher JavaScript Platform

# Internationalization with @pitcher/i18n

@pitcher/i18n package includes a Vue plugin for translating your applications and a couple of tools to collect keywords for translating through Google Translation API. The package also includes a couple of functions to convert date, time, numbers etc. based on the users locale. Under the hood it has multiple different mechanisms to collect/translate strings and work flawlessly with a Vue application.

Here it is explained how the @pitcher/i18n plugin works under the hood.

# Gettext helpers

Gettext helpers has 3 main purpose which are:

  1. collect strings from the application, generate .po files and save to desired location
  2. translate strings with the help of Google Translate API
  3. compile .po files to .json files, save to desired location

Gettext helpers can be runned through command line or with the help of npm scripts.

# i18n store

The store exist for multiple purposes.

  1. to keep track of available languages
  2. current language
  3. language translation messages
  4. helper functions get current locale when formatting date, time, number etc.

Moreover the values inside store are globally accessible and reactive.

# Vue plugin

The plugin used as a starting point for @pitcher/i18n package. For plugin to work properly, it needs to be initialized in main.js.

When you initialize the plugin, it does:

  1. add $t, $gettext, $ngettext functions to window

    • to be able to call the functions & translate messages in any .js file

  2. add $t, $gettext, $ngettext functions to the current Vue instance

    • to be able to call the functions inside vue templates & components

  3. save plugin options to the store

    • to give access to current plugin options globally

# Dependencies

@pitcher/i18n package has multiple dependencies to work properly.

dependencies: {
  "@pitcher/core": "^0.1.7",
  "@vue/composition-api": ">= 1.0.0-rc.1",
  "vue": ">= 2.6.0"
},
devDependencies: {
  "@pitcher/easygettext": "^2.12.5",
  "gettext-parser": "^4.0.3"
}

Without these dependencies the plugin will not work properly. There are multiple ways to install @pitcher/i18n package. To start using it, take a look at Installation section.

Installation →