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localization

localization

github.com/johnrogersDevelopment233155 installsUpdated 42w ago
Repository

About localization

A skill for localizing modern iOS apps with Xcode String Catalogs. It guides developers through translation workflows, plural forms, locale-aware formatting, and common localization checks.

Key features

  1. 01Xcode String Catalog workflows
  2. 02SwiftUI string extraction
  3. 03Pluralization guidance
  4. 04Locale-aware formatting
  5. 05Pseudo-localization and RTL testing

Use cases

  1. 01Adding translations to an iOS app
  2. 02Providing context for translator strings
  3. 03Testing text expansion and RTL layouts

Install

Copy the command and run it in a terminal.

$npx skills add https://github.com/johnrogers/claude-swift-engineering --skill localization

After installing, type/localizationin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.

Bundled files

References and scripts installed along with SKILL.md.

references/
formatting.md
pluralization.md
rtl-support.md
string-catalogs.md

Details

From the project README

Localization

Modern iOS localization using String Catalogs (.xcstrings) for managing translations, plural forms, and locale-aware content. Supports SwiftUI's LocalizedStringKey and String(localized:) APIs.

Reference Loading Guide

ALWAYS load reference files if there is even a small chance the content may be required. It's better to have the context than to miss a pattern or make a mistake.

ReferenceLoad When
String CatalogsSetting up or using Xcode 15+ String Catalogs
PluralizationHandling plural forms, stringsdict migration
FormattingDate, number, currency locale-aware formatting
RTL SupportRight-to-left layouts, semantic directions

Core Workflow

  1. Create String Catalog in Xcode (File > New > String Catalog)
  2. Mark strings with String(localized:comment:) or use SwiftUI's automatic extraction
  3. Add plural variants in String Catalog editor where needed
  4. Test with pseudo-localization (Scheme > Run > Options > App Language)
  5. Export for translation (File > Export Localizations)

Key Patterns

// SwiftUI - automatic localization
Text("Welcome")
Button("Continue") { }

// Explicit localization with context
let title = String(localized: "Settings", comment: "Navigation title")

// Deferred localization for custom views
struct CardView: View {
    let title: LocalizedStringResource
    var body: some View { Text(title) }
}

Build Settings

  • Use Compiler to Extract Swift Strings: Yes
  • Localization Prefers String Catalogs: Yes

Common Mistakes

  1. Forgetting String Catalog in Build Phases — Adding String Catalog but forgetting to check "Localize" in File Inspector means it's not embedded. Always verify in Build Phases > Copy Bundle Resources.

  2. Pseudo-localization not tested — Not running your app with pseudo-localization (German/Chinese pseudo-locale) means you miss text overflow and RTL issues. Always test with pseudo-localization before translation.

  3. Hardcoded strings anywhere — Even one hardcoded string outside the String Catalog breaks extraction and automation. Use String(localized:) everywhere or use LocalizedStringResource for deferred localization.

  4. Context loss in translations — Providing no comment for translators means they guess context and get it wrong. Add comments explaining where the string appears and what it means.

  5. RTL layouts not tested — Assuming LTR layout works for RTL languages (Arabic, Hebrew) fails miserably. Test with system language set to Arabic and verify semantic directions are used.

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