RESX files are a standard way to store localized resources in .NET applications, however, they come with several limitations that make scaling and collaboration difficult.
The technical RESX-specific limitations include:
- XML overhead – the verbose XML structure makes files bulky and harder to review compared to simpler formats like JSON or YAML.
- Poor handling of pluralization and gender – RESX has no native support, so developers must create multiple keys manually (e.g.,
UserCount_One, UserCount_Many), which becomes messy in languages with complex grammar rules.
- Rigid fallback behavior – .NET falls back directly to the base
Resources.resx if a localized file isn’t found. More advanced fallback paths (e.g., fr-CA → fr-FR → en) aren’t supported out of the box.
- Embedded non-string resources – RESX can contain binary assets like images or icons. This inflates file size, complicates version control, and isn’t practical in modern localization pipelines.
- Limited interoperability – RESX is tightly bound to the .NET ecosystem. Reusing translations in mobile apps, websites, or third-party tools requires extra conversion steps.
- Case sensitivity and key management issues – keys are case-sensitive and must be unique. Small differences (
LabelText vs. labelText) can cause runtime errors or missing translations.
Teams may also run into the following workflow challenges when working with RESX files manually:
- Manual editing is error-prone – each RESX file stores translations as key–value pairs in XML. If you copy/paste strings manually into multiple RESX files, typos and inconsistencies easily creep in.
- Scaling to multiple languages gets messy – adding 2+ languages means managing 2+ separate files. Keeping them in sync with source language changes becomes a real challenge.
- No built-in collaboration – RESX is developer-centric. Translators or reviewers need technical skills or external tools like Visual Studio extensions just to work with the files.
- Lack of translation memory or automation – RESX doesn’t remember previously translated phrases. If the same string appears in multiple projects, you must translate it each time.
- Version control difficulties – RESX files can be large, and XML diffs are hard to review in Git. Collaboration through pull requests can quickly become unmanageable.
With Localazy, these challenges are minimized. You only need to upload your base RESX file, and the platform handles language variants, synchronization, and automation. Translators work in a user-friendly interface without touching XML, while developers benefit from Localazy CLI and API automation, translation memory, AI assistance, and clean version control. Built-in reviews and professional translation services ensure consistency and accuracy, making RESX files part of a scalable, collaborative localization workflow.