Working with the Translation Repository

The WordPress Localization RepositoryWordPress Localization Repository The WordPress Localization Repository at https://i18n.svn.wordpress.org/ is a Subversion repository where official WordPress translations are maintained. See Working with the Translation Repository for details. at i18n.svn.wordpress.org is a Subversion repository where official WordPress translations are maintained.

The repositoryWordPress Localization Repository The WordPress Localization Repository at https://i18n.svn.wordpress.org/ is a Subversion repository where official WordPress translations are maintained. See Working with the Translation Repository for details. is used to store the source strings of WordPress core and the translations of plugins, themes and WordPress coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress.. Some localesLocale Locale = language version, often a combination of a language code and a region code, for instance es_MX denotes Spanish as it’s used in Mexico. A list of all locales supported by WordPress in https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/teams/ are also using it to customize WordPress core like adding a translated readme file or a translated sample config file.

For new locales, we do not recommend making custom modifications and therefore no longer provide SVNSVN Apache Subversion (often abbreviated SVN, after its command name svn) is a software versioning and revision control system. Software developers use Subversion to maintain current and historical versions of files such as source code, web pages, and documentation. Its goal is to be a mostly compatible successor to the widely used Concurrent Versions System (CVS). WordPress core and the wordpress.org released code are all centrally managed through SVN. https://subversion.apache.org/. access by default.

Guidelines and Requirements

Top ↑

Character Encodings

All localizations should have at least a UTF-8 version, but may optionally add versions in other character encodings popular for that localeLocale Locale = language version, often a combination of a language code and a region code, for instance es_MX denotes Spanish as it’s used in Mexico. A list of all locales supported by WordPress in https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/teams/.

Current PHPPHP PHP (recursive acronym for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a widely-used open source general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for web development and can be embedded into HTML. http://php.net/manual/en/intro-whatis.php. versions don’t support Byte Order Markers (BOMs), so be sure the UTF-8 encoded files you contribute do not have them.

Top ↑

Line Endings

Files should have Unix style line endings, also named Line Feed (LF).

Top ↑

HTML Character Entities

With a few exceptions (noted below), all translations should be written literally, rather than escaping accented and special characters with HTMLHTML HTML is an acronym for Hyper Text Markup Language. It is a markup language that is used in the development of web pages and websites. character entities.

Some characters must be escaped to avoid conflict with XHTML markup: angle brackets (</> – &lt; and &gt;), and ampersands (& – &amp;). In addition, there are a few other characters better used escaped, such as non-breaking spaces (&nbsp;), angle quotes («/» – &laquo; and &raquo;), curly apostrophes (’ – &rsquo;) and curly quotes (“/” – &ldquo; / &rdquo;).

For more information about the W3CW3C The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international community where Member organizations, a full-time staff, and the public work together to develop Web standards.https://www.w3.org/.’s best practices involving character encodings and character entities, see the following references:

Top ↑

Repository File Structure

The repository contains directories for each locale, which are named as follows:

Within each locale’s directory are the regular SubversionSVN Apache Subversion (often abbreviated SVN, after its command name svn) is a software versioning and revision control system. Software developers use Subversion to maintain current and historical versions of files such as source code, web pages, and documentation. Its goal is to be a mostly compatible successor to the widely used Concurrent Versions System (CVS). WordPress core and the wordpress.org released code are all centrally managed through SVN. https://subversion.apache.org/. versioning directories: branches/, tags/, and trunk/. No other directories are allowed.

It’s recommended to keep the tags/ directory empty and only use branches/ and trunk/.

Inside the appropriate versioning directory are the following subdirectories:

Top ↑

dist/

This directory contains all files in the WordPress distribution that cannot be Gettexted, which have been translated into the target locale.

If the locale has only a UTF-8 translation of the files, the dist/ directory may be populated with them directly, and the structure within dist should mirror the structure of the WordPress root directory:

  • dist/
    • readme.html
    • wp-config-sample.php
    • wp-admin/

Top ↑

messages/

This directory is deprecated in favour of managing the translations directly on translate.wordpress.org.

This directory contains translations in PO and MO format.

Top ↑

Keep up to date with the latest development

Any customizations must be kept up to date with the original source. For example a requirements change in readme.html needs to be documented in your translated version as well.

It’s required that any by default included plugins is also hosted on the WordPress PluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party Directory and must be compatible with the latest stable WordPress release. Otherwise the plugin must not be bundled with the localized release.

Last updated: