Module i18n

Features

• use local dictionaries for each module
• pluralisation
• concise syntax
• inline translation for language support - so you don't need to load a dictionary on the client, it's done in the bundle. As a bonus - no runtime functions, minimum costs
• runtime and static inlined translation with common syntax and dictionaries (useful for isomorphic code/server render for example)
• supports global dictionary
• fallback to global dictionary or default language
• translation combinations
• independent of the technology stack (not only as webpack-loader)
• YAML / JSON

I think that it's useful to build a separate bundle for language. There are some advantages, in my opinion:

• Your bundle has nothing extra dependencies for i18n, only translated text and plural expressions
• You can also use some language-specific functions in the separate bundle (I'll detail below)
• Efficient, no runtime function/components creation
• You have an availability to upgrade only certain language bundle, and other language bundles will continue to be stored in cache

Note, that this project has unstable experimental status, so I'll be glad for feedback.

Usage

Installation

$ npm i -S module-i18n

Syntax

• Inline text:

i18n`Translate me please`

• Inline text with variable (syntax for only static loader)

i18n`Translate me please ${userName}`

• Inline text with variable for runtime and static usage

i18n`Translate me please ${{ userName }}`

• Inline pluralisation, where 'man || men' - is a key in a dictionary:

i18n(value, 'man || men')

• Inline pluralisation shorthand:

i18n(value, 'замок || замка || замков', 'ru')

• Inline text with inline pluralisation (combo):

// so the variable for pluralization will be matched with variable in sentence by name
i18n`Translate me please ${'times, "time || times"'} ${{ times }}`
 
// you can also pass a custom variable for pluralization
i18n`Translate me please ${`${realTimes}, 'time || times'`} ${{ times }}`

• Custom method for language (i.e. that exports from module's ru.js)

i18m.customMethod()

• Custom key for language (i.e. that exports from module's ru.js)

i18m.customKey

Example

You can check a counter example with server side rendering or tests for more details.

Imagine we have this file structure:

• src
  • components
    • MessagesText
      • index.jsx

And a component we want for russian i18n:

const MessagesText = ({ name, count }) => (
    <p>{'Hello ${name}, you have ${count} new messages'}</p>
)

With module i18n loader it became as:

• MessagesText
  • index.jsx
  • i18n
    • ru.yaml

Component:

const MessagesText = ({ name, count }) => (
    <p>
        {i18n`Hello ${name}, you have ${count} new ${'count, "message || messages")'}`}
    </p>
)

components/MessagesText/i18n/ru.yaml

# shorthand example 
 
Hello ${name}, you have ${count} new ${'count, "message || messages")'}:
    Привет, ${name}, у тебя есть ${count} ${i18n(count, 'новое сообщение || новых сообщения || новых сообщений', 'ru')}

# full example, with plural keys 
 
Hello ${name}, you have ${count} new ${'count, "message || messages")'}:
  Привет, ${name}, у тебя есть ${count} ${i18n(count, 'new message || new messages')}
 
new message || new messages:
  - новое сообщение
  - новых сообщения
  - новых сообщений

And that's all :) After loader that string becomes something like:

`Привет, ${name}, у тебя есть ${count} ${(count%10==1 && count%100!=11 ? 'новое сообщение' : count%10>=2 && count%10<=4 && (count%100<10 || count%100>=20) ? 'новых сообщения' : 'новых сообщений')}`

Tips

webpack

Languages building example (webpack.config.js):

module.exports = ['ru', 'en'].map(lang => ({
    ...
    module: {
        rules: [
            {
                test: /(\.js|\.jsx)$/,
                include: [
                  PATHS.app,
                ],
                use: [
                    {
                        /* use module i18n loader for inline translations */
                        loader: 'module-i18n/lib/loader/webpack',
                        query: {
                            lang,
                            namespace: 'i18n',
                            defaultLang: 'en',
                        }
                    },
                ],
            },
        ],
    }
}))