Q: Why some translations cannot be exported correctly into XML?

In activity stream, you might encounter a message such as: <pre><code class="hljs ">Phrases 1dbb1f96d2b25755ec8ce882766596c150efecc7 and aaa97c82019600566b80fe5645341518337208ae in Czech cannot be exported correctly - malformed XML. Skipping.</code></pre>This means that the translation cannot be exported into XML because the translator probably didn’t insert tags correctly, didn’t close them etc. Please verify these translations and try again.

Q: How to edit XLIFF files?

To edit <a href="/dictionary/xliff">XLIFF files</a>, you could use an advanced text editor (such as Sublime Text or Notepad++), any <a href="/dictionary/integrated-development-kit-ide">IDE</a> software (such as VisualStudio Code and others), or just use Localazy, which was made specifically with translation file formats in mind. Localazy offers a clutter-free way to browse, edit and manage localization files of <a href="/integrations">many formats</a>. To open and edit <a href="/xliff">XLIFF</a> files using the Localazy interface, <a href="/register">sign up</a>, create a new translation project and upload the XLIFF file. Then head to the File management tab to open the file you just uploaded. You’ll then be able to browse and edit the content of the file in a user-friendly environment. <h3 tabindex="-1">Further reading: <a class="markdownit-header-anchor" href="#further-reading">#️⃣</a><a class="markdownit-header-anchor__offset" id="further-reading" tabindex="-1" href="#"></a></h3> <ul> <li><a href="/docs/cli/quick-start-xliff">Quick Start - XLIFF</a></li> </ul>

Q: How to open XLIFF files?

To open <a href="/dictionary/xliff">XLIFF files</a>, you can use any text editor that supports the format (such as Notepad, Sublime Text, or Notepad++), use online services, or Localazy - the online <a href="/dictionary/translation-management-system-tms">translation management system</a> explicitly made for working with translation file formats. Localazy offers a clutter-free way to browse, edit and manage localization files of many formats. To open <a href="/xliff">XLIFF</a> files using the Localazy interface, <a href="/register">sign up</a>, create a new translation project and upload the XLIFF file. You’ll then be able to browse the content of the file in a user-friendly environment.

Q: How to translate XLIFF files?

To translate <a href="/dictionary/xliff">XLIFF files</a>, you can simply edit the files and translate all content on your own or with the help of <a href="/dictionary/machine-translation">machine translation</a> engines such as Google Translate. But this approach is messy, error-prone, and tedious. There is a far better way of doing this. Translating XLIFF files is simple with Localazy. After <a href="/register">signing up for free</a>, create a new translation project and upload your XLIFF file. Head to the Translations tab, add new languages and <a href="/docs/general/translating-strings">start translating</a>. Localazy gives you a clutter-free interface for translating XLIFF files content, with built-in machine translation suggestions and all features a sound <a href="/dictionary/translation-management-system-tms">translation management system</a> should offer! To translate XLIFF files automatically, you have two (paid) options: <ul> <li>Use the <a href="/docs/general/additional-mt-engines#mt-pre-translate">pre-translate feature</a> available with the <a href="/docs/general/localazy-autopilot-tier">Autopilot plan</a> to translate all content almost instantly by an MT engine of your choice.</li> <li>Order translations from the <a href="/docs/general/continuous-localization-team">Continuous Localization Team</a> to get your XLIFF file translated by human translators.</li> </ul>

Q: How to open PO files?

To open <a href="/dictionary/po-and-pot-format">PO and POT files</a>, you can use any text editor that supports the format (such as Notepad, Sublime Text, or Notepad++), use specialized software (like Poedit), or Localazy - the online <a href="/dictionary/translation-management-system-tms">translation management system</a> explicitly made for working with translation file formats. Localazy offers a clutter-free way to browse, edit and manage localization files of many formats. To open <a href="/po">PO</a> files using the Localazy interface, <a href="/register">sign up</a>, create a new translation project and upload the PO file. You’ll then be able to browse the content of the file in a user-friendly environment.

Q: How to edit PO files?

To edit <a href="/dictionary/xliff">PO files</a>, you could use any (advanced) text editor (such as Sublime Text or Notepad++), any <a href="/dictionary/integrated-development-kit-ide">IDE</a> software (such as VisualStudio Code and others), or just use Localazy, which was made specifically with translation file formats in mind. Localazy offers a clutter-free way to browse, edit and manage localization files of <a href="/integrations">many formats</a>. To open and edit <a href="/po">PO</a> files using the Localazy interface, <a href="/register">sign up</a>, create a new translation project and upload your PO file. Then head to the File management tab to open the file you just uploaded. You’ll then be able to browse and edit the content of the file in a user-friendly environment. <h3 tabindex="-1">Further reading: <a class="markdownit-header-anchor" href="#further-reading">#️⃣</a><a class="markdownit-header-anchor__offset" id="further-reading" tabindex="-1" href="#"></a></h3> <ul> <li><a href="/docs/cli/quick-start-po">Quick Start - PO</a></li> </ul>

Q: How to translate PO files?

To translate <a href="/dictionary/po-and-pot-formats">PO and POT files</a>, you could just open the file and translate all content on your own or with the help of <a href="/dictionary/machine-translation">machine translation</a> engines (e.g., Amazon Translate). However, approaching translations this way is messy, error-prone, and tedious. You can do better! Translating PO and POT files is simple with Localazy. <a href="/register">Sign up for free</a>, create a new translation project and upload your PO, or POT file. Head to the Translations tab to add new languages and <a href="/docs/general/translating-strings">start translating</a>. Localazy gives you a clean UI for translating PO and POT files. Enjoy built-in machine translation suggestions and all features a solid <a href="/dictionary/translation-management-system-tms">TMS</a> has to offer! To translate PO (or POT) files automatically, you have two (premium) options: <ul> <li>Use the <a href="/docs/general/additional-mt-engines#mt-pre-translate">pre-translate feature</a> available with the <a href="/docs/general/localazy-autopilot-tier">Autopilot plan</a> to translate all content of your PO files in a few seconds by an MT engine of your choice.</li> <li>Set up our <a href="/docs/general/continuous-localization-team">Continuous Localization Team</a> service to get your PO file translated by human translators.</li> </ul>

Q: How to convert PO files?

To convert <a href="/dictionary/po-and-pot-formats">PO or POT files</a>, you can use the <a href="/features/format-conversions">Format Conversions</a> feature of Localazy. Start by <a href="/register">signing up for free</a> and create a new translation project. Upload your PO files and follow the steps outlined in the <a href="/docs/general/format-conversions-feature">documentation</a>. Alternatively, to automate the conversion, you can set up the <a href="/docs/cli/the-basics">Localazy CLI</a> with the desired configuration. <blockquote> Notice that Format Conversions is a paid feature, available for all users with the <a href="/docs/general/localazy-professional-tier">Professional tier</a> and up. But don’t worry, there is a 14-day trial period to try everything before you commit. </blockquote> For an in-depth tutorial on Localazy Format Conversions: <ul> <li><a href="/blog/convert-localization-files-different-formats-localazy">How to convert localization files into different formats?</a></li> </ul> <h2 tabindex="-1">You might be interested in: <a class="markdownit-header-anchor" href="#you-might-be-interested-in">#️⃣</a><a class="markdownit-header-anchor__offset" id="you-might-be-interested-in" tabindex="-1" href="#"></a></h2> <ul> <li><a href="/docs/general/format-conversions-add-on">Format Conversions Documentation</a></li> <li><a href="/docs/cli/format-conversions">Format Conversions - Localazy CLI</a></li> </ul>

Question 1

How to translate JSON files?

Accepted Answer

You can translate JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) files with the assistance of machine translation engines (such as Google Translator) and copy-paste the results into your text editor. But this translation option is time-consuming and inefficient.

Considering that JSON is one of the most lightweight data interchange formats, working with it is pretty handy. And the best way to translate JSON files is to use an online translation service, such as Localazy. Localazy serves as TMS and localization suite to help you translate your JSON files effectively. With its help, you can translate multilingual JSON files, JSON5 files, or HJSON files and integrate a Translation Management System (TMS) into your workflow.

To translate JSON files using the Localazy interface, sign up for free and create a new translation project. Once you upload your JSON file, you can add the target language, start translating, and then download the translated files with ease. You can even pre-translate the whole file in JSON format by applying machine translations in bulk. This and many other features make Localazy the ideal tool to produce professional translations.

Localazy is a state-of-the-art translation management platform and localization suite to help you translate your JSON files effectively. Learn more in the Getting Started Guide.

Question 2

How can I convert different localization file formats?

Accepted Answer

In the File Management section of Localazy, when downloading your files, you can select the desired format and download your strings in any of the available file formats.

Format Conversions feature is also an integral part of the Localazy CLI tool, so if you want to automate format conversions, you will need to install Localazy CLI on your preferred platform.

Read the article: How to convert localization files into different formats?

Note: Format Conversions are available only as a part of the Professional plan

Question 3

Why some translations cannot be exported correctly into XML?

Accepted Answer

In activity stream, you might encounter a message such as:

Phrases 1dbb1f96d2b25755ec8ce882766596c150efecc7 and aaa97c82019600566b80fe5645341518337208ae in Czech cannot be exported correctly - malformed XML. Skipping.

This means that the translation cannot be exported into XML because the translator probably didn’t insert tags correctly, didn’t close them etc.

Please verify these translations and try again.

Question 4

How to edit XLIFF files?

Accepted Answer

To edit XLIFF files, you could use an advanced text editor (such as Sublime Text or Notepad++), any IDE software (such as VisualStudio Code and others), or just use Localazy, which was made specifically with translation file formats in mind. Localazy offers a clutter-free way to browse, edit and manage localization files of many formats.

To open and edit XLIFF files using the Localazy interface, sign up, create a new translation project and upload the XLIFF file. Then head to the File management tab to open the file you just uploaded. You’ll then be able to browse and edit the content of the file in a user-friendly environment.

You might be interested in: #️⃣

Question 8

How to open PO files?

Accepted Answer

To open PO and POT files, you can use any text editor that supports the format (such as Notepad, Sublime Text, or Notepad++), use specialized software (like Poedit), or Localazy - the online translation management system explicitly made for working with translation file formats.

Localazy offers a clutter-free way to browse, edit and manage localization files of many formats.

To open PO files using the Localazy interface, sign up, create a new translation project and upload the PO file. You’ll then be able to browse the content of the file in a user-friendly environment.

Question 9

How to edit PO files?

Accepted Answer

To edit PO files, you could use any (advanced) text editor (such as Sublime Text or Notepad++), any IDE software (such as VisualStudio Code and others), or just use Localazy, which was made specifically with translation file formats in mind. Localazy offers a clutter-free way to browse, edit and manage localization files of many formats.

To open and edit PO files using the Localazy interface, sign up, create a new translation project and upload your PO file. Then head to the File management tab to open the file you just uploaded. You’ll then be able to browse and edit the content of the file in a user-friendly environment.

You might be interested in: #️⃣

Question 12

How can I upload POT and download PO files with Localazy CLI?

Accepted Answer

When using Localazy CLI, setting up a comfortable POT/PO workflow requires some special settings, but is completely possible. Usually the source language file has a different format (POT) than files with translated strings in your project (PO).

We recommend setting two different rules for uploading:

Upload your messages.pot file with "type": "pot" and also provide the file attribute to be sure that the filename is, in ideal case, something like messages.po to properly link your POT file to a PO file that is used for your source language internally by Localazy.
To upload existing translations inside PO files, use "type": "po" and provide the same file attribute again.

Example configuration #️⃣

Your upload configuration should then look like this:

"files": [
  {
    "type": "pot",
    "pattern": "source/messages.pot",
    "file": "message.po"
  },
  {
    "group": "existing-translations"
    "type": "po",
    "pattern": "translations/*/messages.pot",
    "file": "message.po"
  }
]

Question 13

How to open RESX files?

Accepted Answer

To open RESX files, you can use any text/code editor that supports the format (such as Microsoft Visual Studio and its extension called ResX Resource Manager), use online services, or upload it to Localazy - the online translation management system.

Localazy offers a clutter-free way to browse, edit and manage localization files of many formats, including RESX.

To open RESX files using the Localazy interface, do the following;

Learn how Localazy works in the Getting Started Guide.

Learn more about Localazy integrations.

Resources #️⃣

CLI: RESX File Format CLI Quick Start - RESX

Question 14

How to convert RESX files?

Accepted Answer

To convert RESX files, you can use the Format Conversions feature of Localazy.

Begin by signing up for free and creating a new translation project. Upload your RESX files and set up the Localazy CLI with the correct configuration.

Many file formats are available for converting from RESX files. Specify your desired conversion and run the CLI commands.

Resources #️⃣

Question 15

How to edit RESX files?

Accepted Answer

To edit RESX files, you could use an advanced text editor like XML Editor, but note that simple text editors can corrupt your files. A better way is to use Localazy, crafted with translation file formats in mind.

Localazy makes it easy to manage your localization files in any format of your choice, and it does a lot of tasks for you automatically.

To open and edit RESX files using the Localazy interface, sign up for free, create a new translation project, and upload the RESX file using the file upload dialog or Localazy CLI tool. Then click on the File management tab to open your file.

You’ll be able to view and edit the file’s content using a standard interface.

Resources #️⃣

Question 16

How to open and edit JSON files?

Accepted Answer

You can use any text/code editor such as Notepad, Sublime Text, and others to open and edit JSON files. Alternatively, use an online editor to edit your JSON files.

However, for JSON files containing strings of texts or translations, you should use Localazy, suitable for managing multiple file formats.

To open and edit JSON files using the Localazy interface, sign up for free and create a new translation project. Once you upload your JSON file, click on the File management tab to view, open and access your file content.

Localazy is a state-of-the-art translation management platform and localization suite to help you translate your JSON files effectively. Learn more in the Getting Started Guide.

Resources #️⃣

CLI: JSON File Format CLI Quick Start - JSON

Question 17

How to translate RESX files?

Accepted Answer

To translate RESX files, you can use any text/code editor that supports the format (such as Microsoft Visual Studio and its extension called ResX Resource Manager), copy and paste each value into a machine translation engine of your choice, and create a translated version of your file.

A better way to translate RESX files is to upload it to Localazy - the online translation management system and localization suite that will help you translate your RESX files effectively. Learn more in the Getting Started Guide.

To translate RESX files using the Localazy interface, sign up for free and create a new translation project. Once you upload your RESX file add a new language and start translating! You can even pre-translate the whole RESX file by applying machine translations in bulk.

Question 18

How to get rid of quotation marks after conversion from JSON to Android XML?

Accepted Answer

Suppose you have a project where the source file is a JSON file with a row in the format:

"about.moreButton": "Learn more on our website",

When using the Localazy CLI to import to Android with Format Conversions (or when you just try to export the JSON file to Android XML inside the Localazy web platform), you might notice that the format is:

<string name="about_moreButton">"Learn more on our website"</string>

Now, you might think you should delete those start and end quotation marks in the body of the XML row to achieve this result:

<string name="about_moreButton">Learn more on our website</string>

However, you can keep the quotation marks in the Android XML file because it’s a supported construct used to correctly encode white characters that would otherwise be lost in all cases. Quotation marks ensure that the exact form of your strings is preserved after conversion.

In actual use, the text will render correctly on the device.

More information can be found on the Android Developers website: String Resources

Question 19

Why are some keys in a JSON object missing from the downloaded files?

Accepted Answer

You might encounter a situation, when not all keys that are a part of the same structure get downloaded from your Localazy project. Most likely, the issue here is that you have the key both as a single text and also as a structure.

This often happens when you first create a key and later decide to actually change it to an object with multiple subkeys.

So at first, you create a key, e.g.: user.welcome with text “This is a welcome text.”

But then, you decide you want to use a structure such as:

user.welcome.text => “This is a welcome text.”
user.welcome.title => “Welcome title”

Supposed it is a nested JSON, then you can’t have both:

{
"user.welcome": "This is a welcome text.",
}

and at the same time use:

{
"user.welcome": {
"text": "This is a welcome text",
"title": "Welcome title"
}
}

Because the same key can not be an object and a text at the same time.

In the future, you can simply prevent this, by using deprecating during upload so old keys are automatically marked as deprecated when they are no longer part of the uploaded file. In your CLI configuration, set deprecate to value project, and all keys missing in the upload batch across whole project will be deprecated.

Question 20

What is TMX?

Accepted Answer

TMX (Translation Memory eXchange) format is a standard for exchanging translation memory data between different translation tools and systems. Translation memory is a database that stores previously translated text segments, such as sentences or paragraphs, along with their corresponding translations.

The TMX format is a standardized XML-based markup language to represent and exchange translation memory data. It allows different translation tools and systems to share and import/export translation memory information seamlessly.

A TMX file may include additional metadata such as language codes, context information, and other details relevant to the translation process.

Question 21

Why use Localazy for managing JSON translations?

Accepted Answer

Working with JSON translation files by hand can quickly turn into a complex and error-prone task, especially when your app supports multiple languages or involves several contributors. Localazy helps you simplify and automate this process through:

Seamless CLI integration that automatically syncs JSON files with your codebase.
AI and machine translation support to instantly translate new or updated strings.
A clean, user-friendly editor that lets translators make changes safely without developer input.
Centralized translation management, ensuring one reliable source for all your language files.
Collaborative workflows that keep developers, translators, and reviewers perfectly aligned. Once your project is connected, Localazy keeps your JSON files up to date in every language — saving time, reducing errors, and allowing your team to focus on development instead of manual translation maintenance.

Question 22

What’s the best structure for i18n JSON files?

Accepted Answer

A good JSON file structure should be consistent, human-readable, and scalable as your app grows. Most i18n setups use key-value pairs, where each key represents a translatable string, and values are the translations.

{
  "home": {
    "title": "Welcome",
    "description": "Your productivity hub"
  },
  "buttons": {
    "save": "Save",
    "cancel": "Cancel"
  }
}

This nested structure keeps related strings grouped logically (e.g., by screen or feature) and makes maintenance easier. Avoid repeating the same text across files — instead, reuse common keys where possible. Localazy supports any standard i18n JSON format, helping you upload, translate, and export your files effortlessly. You can also define custom file structures and naming patterns to match your project setup.

Question 23

How does Localazy handle nested JSON keys?

Accepted Answer

Localazy fully supports nested JSON structures, keeping your hierarchy intact throughout the translation process. Each nested key (for example, home.title or buttons.save) is treated as an individual translation entry, making it easy to manage large and organized files.

When you upload your JSON files, Localazy automatically detects and preserves the nesting levels, ensuring your exported translations match the original structure exactly.

You can also filter or search by key paths (like home.*) to quickly find related strings, and the glossary and context notes help translators understand where each string is used.

This approach allows developers to keep a clean, structured JSON setup while giving translators a flat, easy-to-navigate view in the Localazy interface.

Question 24

How to manage plurals and variables in JSON translations?

Accepted Answer

Localazy supports pluralization and dynamic variables in JSON translations, helping you handle language-specific rules with ease.

Localazy recognizes JSON objects or arrays that follow standard plural types (e.g. one, other, few, many, zero, etc.).

{
  "items": {
    "one": "You have 1 item.",
    "other": "You have %d items."
  }
}

You can also use plural suffixes in keys (e.g. itemOne / itemOther, item_one / item_other, or bracketed forms like item[one] / item[other]) — Localazy can detect and preserve your input format.
If you prefer ICU-style plurals, Localazy supports that too (via plural_icu feature). For example:

{
  "items": "{count, plural, one {1 item} other {# items}}"
}

Localazy will convert that into its internal plural handling for each language.

You can include placeholders (like {count}, {name}, %d, etc.) inside your strings. Translators see them and can place them as needed in the translation. Localazy ensures that those placeholders stay intact.

Handling pluralization properly matters for several reasons:

It allows you to handle complex grammar rules (singular, plural, dual, etc.) automatically.
Translators see only the relevant plural forms for their language, reducing confusion and mistakes.
You don’t need to manually code plural logic for every language — Localazy (with your app) will handle the mapping.

Question 25

How to deal with placeholders and interpolation in JSON strings?

Accepted Answer

Placeholders are essential in dynamic texts — for example, messages like "Welcome, {username}!" or "You have {count} new notifications." In JSON translations, these variables must stay intact across all languages to prevent runtime errors or formatting issues.

Localazy automatically recognizes common placeholder patterns such as {variable}, %s, or ${value}. During translation, it protects them so translators can’t accidentally modify or delete them. Each placeholder appears clearly highlighted in the editor, making it easy to understand where and how it will appear in the final text.

To keep translations accurate, you can also:

This approach keeps your JSON translations both developer-friendly and safe for dynamic, variable-rich content across multiple languages.

Question 26

How to automate JSON translation updates in CI/CD pipelines?

Accepted Answer

Automating JSON translation updates ensures that your app’s localization stays in sync with development changes, reducing manual work and minimizing errors. Localazy can be integrated directly into your CI/CD workflow, enabling automatic upload and download of translation files during build and deployment processes.

Key steps to automate JSON translations with Localazy:

Upload new or updated JSON strings automatically When using the Localazy CLI or API, a merge into the main branch can trigger an automatic upload to Localazy without manual intervention.
Automatic machine translations Once uploaded, Localazy can pre-translate new strings, so translators only need to review or refine them, speeding up the localization process.
Pull translations before build/deployment Your CI/CD scripts can fetch the latest translations from Localazy, ensuring that your app always includes up-to-date JSON files for all supported languages.
Integration with version control Combined with Git or other VCS (Version Control System), you can track translation updates alongside your code, avoiding conflicts and maintaining a single source of truth.
Optional notifications and checks Pipelines can trigger alerts if translations are missing, placeholders are inconsistent, or plural forms are incomplete, allowing automated QA before deployment.

By embedding Localazy into your CI/CD workflow, your development team can focus on building features while translation updates run seamlessly in the background, keeping your JSON files synchronized across all environments and languages.

Question 27

What’s the difference between flat and nested JSON localization formats?

Accepted Answer

JSON localization files can be organized in flat or nested formats, and choosing the right structure affects readability, maintainability, and integration with your app.

Flat JSON #️⃣

All translation keys are at the top level, usually with dot-separated paths representing hierarchy:

{
  "home.title": "Welcome",
  "home.description": "Your productivity hub",
  "buttons.save": "Save",
  "buttons.cancel": "Cancel"
}

Advantages: easy to search and reference keys programmatically; simpler for some i18n frameworks.
Drawbacks: less visually organized, harder to group related strings for translators.

Nested JSON #️⃣

Keys are organized hierarchically using objects, reflecting the app’s structure:

{
  "home": {
    "title": "Welcome",
    "description": "Your productivity hub"
  },
  "buttons": {
    "save": "Save",
    "cancel": "Cancel"
  }
}

Advantages: visually clear, groups related content logically, easier for translators to understand context.
Drawbacks: some frameworks or automation scripts may require flattening before use.

Localazy supports both flat and nested JSON formats, allowing you to upload, translate, and export files without losing structure. You can also choose the preferred format for your project, ensuring consistency across environments and repositories.

File Formats

💡 Enough theory, try Localazy now! 🚀