Internationalisierungs

Internationalisierungs is a German term that translates to "internationalization" in English. It refers to the process of designing and developing a product, application, or service in such a way that it can be easily adapted to various languages and regions without requiring engineering changes to the core code. This involves abstracting language-specific elements, such as text strings, date and time formats, currency symbols, and number conventions, from the rest of the application.

The primary goal of internationalization is to reduce the effort and cost associated with localization, which is the process of adapting a product for a specific locale. By internationalizing first, developers create a flexible foundation that can then be more efficiently translated and customized for different markets. This approach ensures that the software's architecture is prepared to handle cultural differences and linguistic variations from the outset.

Key aspects of internationalization include supporting different character sets (like Unicode), managing text expansion and contraction, handling sorting and searching according to locale-specific rules, and providing mechanisms for resource management of localized content. Implementing internationalization early in the development cycle is generally more efficient than trying to retroactively adapt a system that was not designed with global audiences in mind. It is a crucial step for any software or service aiming for a worldwide user base.