Author: Naveen Kumar
Internationalization (i18n) refers to an application's/package's support for multiple languages. This support comes from a kind of generalization on part of application/package that helps Localize it in different languages.
Localization or (l10n) here refers to the process of adapting, translating or customising that application/package for a particular locale.
Locale is a term used to define a set of information corresponding to a given language & country. A locale information is used by a software application (or operating system) to exhibit a localised behaviour. This localised behaviour is in the form of displaying Application's/package's text in local language or other things pertaining to a locale convention such as localized date, currency format, color conventions, etc.
In this tutorial we will cover i18n & l10n only with respect to text i18n/l10n.
Gettext framework is one such approach to do text i18n. It refers to a collection of tools which are used to internationalize and localize an application/package. These tools assist in translating the strings on menus, messages boxes or icons on the applications in the language that the user is interested in.