This document provides best practices for developing multi-language applications. It discusses using resource files and translation tables to enable localization. Front-end guidelines include using native language for language options, country flags, and icons that don't require translation. Code practices suggest categorizing translations, avoiding copy-pasting, and splitting long texts. It also addresses maintaining translations during releases and techniques like the Zulu method to provide context to translators.

1. Multi-Language Best
Practices
Rui Félix
COO and Systems Architect @ OSQuay

2. Go Global
2

3. 3 |
What Is Multi-Language?
Ability to use several languages and
translations in your applications.
Multi-language best practices

4. 4 |
Why Is This a Must?
● In some countries, it’s mandatory
for the software to be in the
native language.
● Some countries have more than
one language.
● Removes the restraint of
worldwide limits.
Multi-language best practices

5. 5 |
How?
Localization can be achieved in
OutSystems by using:
● Resource files
● Translation tables
● Localized images
Multi-language best practices

6. Front-End & UX
Best Practices
6

7. 7 |
Language Options Written in Native Language
Multi-language best practices

8. 8 |
Language Options Written in Native Language
Multi-language best practices

9. 9 |
Country Flags
Flags represent nations, not
languages.
Multi-language best practices

10. 10 |
Icons
Multi-language best practices
Icons do not require translation.
Use that to your advantage.
Examples:

11. 11 |
Automatic Language Selection
● Don’t use IP address for
geographical information.
● Mobile App - Use Globalization
Plugin and retrieve the OS
Language.
● Others - Retrieve the Browser
language.
Multi-language best practices

12. Best Practices
for Code
Development
12

13. 13 |
Language Static Entity
● Locale; “pt-PT”
● Language; “Portuguese”
● DisplayName; “português”
● IsActive; “True”
Don’t translate the Language Static
Entity.
Multi-language best practices

14. 14 |
Copy-Pasting
Translations are also copied,
although you may not notice
it.
Multi-language best practices

15. 15 |
Make It Short
For long texts, especially with
paragraphs (and carriage
returns), split with different
smaller pieces of text.
Multi-language best practices

16. 16 |
Lost in Space
Use caution when translating text that ends or starts with a space.
Most likely, the Translator will not add the space at the end of his translation.
Example:
● “Your shopping cart has “ + NumberItems + ” items.”
● The result will be “Your shopping cart has53items.”
● Proper way:
“Your shopping cart has”+” ” +NumberItem +“ “+”items.”
Multi-language best practices

17. 17 |
Categorize, Categorize, Categorize
Categorizing the translations is a
development task.
Multi-language best practices

18. Context
18

19. 19 |
Context
● Localization and Translation are
hard.
● Translation resources do not
provide context.
Multi-language best practices

20. 20 |
Good Luck, Jim!
Multi-language best practices

21. 21 |
Zulu Technique
Make it easier for a translator to check for context.
Make the GUIDs and the platform SSKeys available
for the translator on the application screen in
runtime.
Multi-language best practices

22. 22 |
Zulu Technique
What does the translator see?
Multi-language best practices

23. 23 |
Zulu Technique
Multi-language best practices

24. 24 |
Zulu Technique
How?
1) Add a new Locale ‘ZU’ (Zulu) to the
application.
2) Copy the GUIDs/SSKeys to the translation of
locale Zulu.
3) Set the application locale to Zulu.
Multi-language best practices

25. 25 |
Zulu Technique
Multi-language best practices

26. Coping With
Release
Management
26

27. 27 |
Coping With Release Management
Multi-language best practices
Adding Translations = Adding Code
Added to the Release:
● While on Development
● Any other environment -> Treat it carefully as a
quick fix.

28. 28 |
Coping With Release Management
Multi-language best practices
Development Test Production
App
v1.0

29. 29 |
Coping With Release Management
Multi-language best practices
Development Test Production
App
v1.0

30. 30 |
Coping With Release Management
Multi-language best practices
Development Test Production
App
v1.0
App
v1.1
Translation
files

31. 31 |
Coping With Release Management
Multi-language best practices
Development Test Production
App
v1.0
App
v1.1
Translation
files
P
u
b
l
i
s
h
i
n
v
1
.
1
Merge v1.1 with v1.0

32. Forge
Components &
Resources
32

33. 33 |
Resources
Multi-language best practices
OutSystems Learn – Guided Path
https://www.outsystems.com/training/courses/182/multi-language-in-outsystems/

34. 34 |
Resources
Multi-language best practices
Forge components
Globalization Plugin
https://www.outsystems.com/forge/component-versions/1585

35. 35 |
Resources
Multi-language best practices
Forge components
LocaleToolbox
https://www.outsystems.com/forge/component-overview/10361/localetoolbox

36. 36 |
Resources
Multi-language best practices
Useful Links
https://success.outsystems.com/Documentation/11/Developing_an_Application/Design_UI/Translating_the_app_UI/
Multilingual_Web_Applications
https://www.osquay.com/knowledge-center/outsystems-localized-images

37. Thank You.