Localization vs Internationalization: Explaining The Differences
If you're in the process of expanding your business into foreign markets or developing a global product that is ready to market internationally, you most likely encountered the terms "Internationalization (i18n)" and "Localization (l10n)".
While both terms are used interchangeably, they are two different processes — but equally important.
So, is it localization you need or internationalization? Or both? Let's clear out the confusion and explain the differences between the two.
Internationalization (i18n)
- The main goal of internationalization is to create culturally neutral products that are localization-friendly and easy to adapt to support different languages, cultures, and other locale-specific elements.
- This involves practices such as using Unicode encoding, adapting code to recognize cultural differences, and organizing source code for efficient translation.
Localization (l10n)
- Localization takes your internationalized product and tailors it to specific target markets.
- The main goal is to create a final product that looks and feels local to your target audience as if it was never translated, as if it is made specifically for them.
- This process includes translating content, adjusting UI/UX elements to reflect cultural preferences, and conducting thorough localization testing to ensure a seamless user experience.
While internationalization saves time, effort, and costs by identifying and fixing technical issues early, localization improves user satisfaction, boosts brand visibility, and gives you a competitive edge in global markets.
The bottom line
To truly succeed in the global marketplace, it's not a question of localization vs internationalization, but rather how you can use both strategies to create products that feel tailor-made for each target market.
We discuss this topic more in-depth in our blog!
Click here to read the full article and download our handy checklist for localization and internationalization testing.