Translating a ClassicPress plugin: When should a plugin be internationalized?

ClassicPress PluginsThis series if a is part of the Translating a ClassicPress plugin series.

In the last post I discussed why internationalization was important, but the follow on from this is when should a plugin be internationalized.

When developing a plugin, it is tempting to work on the functionality first and then go back to internationize the strings afterwards. When I started developing plugins, none of them were interationalized. When I started doing so, I had to go back and find all the strings and then wrap them in the relevant functions.

New plugins, I have internationalized from the beginning and this is much less work and also means there is much less opportunity to miss a string which going back afterwards makes quite likely.

My recommendation, is to internationalize your plugin from the beginning and thereby save yourself time and errors.

Click to show/hide the Translating a ClassicPress plugin Series Index

Translating a ClassicPress plugin
What is Internationalization and Localization?
Why is Internationalization and Localization important?
When should a plugin be internationalized?
Internationalizing a ClassicPress plugin: How does internationalization work?
Internationalizing a ClassicPress plugin: What is a Text Domain and how is it specified?
Internationalizing a ClassicPress plugin: Localization functions
Internationalizing a ClassicPress plugin: Which localization functions to use?
Internationalizing a ClassicPress plugin: Localizing a string
Internationalizing a ClassicPress plugin: Don't paramaterize your text domain
Internationalizing a ClassicPress plugin: Localizing a string containing a parameter
Internationalizing a ClassicPress plugin: Localizing a string including plurals
Internationalizing a ClassicPress plugin: Localizing a string including notes for the translator
Internationalizing a ClassicPress plugin: Don't include HTML markup in localization
Internationalizing a ClassicPress plugin: Don't localize URLs
Internationalizing a ClassicPress plugin: Localizing a string including line breaks
Internationalizing a ClassicPress plugin: Load plugin translations
Translating a ClassicPress plugin with Poedit: What is Poedit?
Translating a ClassicPress plugin with Poedit: Download Poedit
Translating a ClassicPress plugin with Poedit: Install Poedit
Translating a ClassicPress plugin with Poedit: Create New Translation Template
Translating a ClassicPress plugin with Poedit: Create Translations
Translating a ClassicPress plugin with GlotPress: What is GlotPress?
Translating a ClassicPress plugin with GlotPress: Download and install GlotPress
Translating a ClassicPress plugin with GlotPress: Creating administrators
Translating a ClassicPress plugin with GlotPress: Create a project
Translating a ClassicPress plugin with GlotPress: Import translation template
Translating a ClassicPress plugin with GlotPress: Import translations
Translating a ClassicPress plugin with GlotPress: Create new translation set
Translating a ClassicPress plugin with GlotPress: Export translations

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