What is internationalisation (i18n)?
Internationalisation (i18n) is the process of designing products, content and systems so they can be adapted for different languages, regions and cultures without redesign.
Detailed description
Internationalisation (often abbreviated as i18n) is the process of designing and developing products, content, and systems so they can be easily adapted for different languages, regions, and cultures without requiring fundamental redesign or re-engineering. It is the preparatory stage that makes subsequent localisation efficient and scalable.
In software and web development, internationalisation involves separating translatable text from code (externalising strings), supporting Unicode and multiple character encoding systems, designing flexible UI layouts that accommodate text expansion and different text directions, implementing locale-aware formatting for dates, times, currencies, numbers, and addresses, supporting right-to-left text rendering, and creating modular content structures that can be independently localised.
For content and marketing, internationalisation means developing source content with global audiences in mind: avoiding culturally specific references that will not translate, using clear and unambiguous language, creating modular content that can be adapted for different markets, and establishing style guides and terminology standards that support consistent localisation.
Internationalisation is most cost-effective when implemented from the beginning of a product or content development cycle. Retrofitting internationalisation into a product that was designed only for a single market is significantly more expensive and disruptive than building it in from the start.
LEXIGO advises clients on internationalisation best practices as part of our localisation consulting services, helping organisations prepare their content and systems for efficient multilingual deployment before translation work begins.
Why it matters
Without proper internationalisation, localisation becomes expensive, slow, and error-prone. Hard-coded text, fixed layouts, and culturally specific content structures create barriers that require custom workarounds for each language. This multiplies costs, extends timelines, and increases the risk of quality issues.
For organisations planning to serve multiple language markets, investing in internationalisation upfront delivers significant returns in localisation efficiency, quality, and speed to market across every subsequent language.
Related questions about internationalisation
Why is internationalisation called i18n?
i18n is a numeronym: there are 18 letters between the first letter 'i' and the last letter 'n' in internationalisation. Localisation is shortened to L10n in the same way.
What is the difference between internationalisation and localisation?
Internationalisation prepares a product or content so it can be adapted for other languages and regions. Localisation is the actual adaptation for a specific market. Internationalisation comes first and makes localisation faster and cheaper.
What does internationalisation involve for a website or app?
It includes separating text from code, supporting Unicode, allowing for longer translated text, handling right-to-left scripts, and using locale-aware dates, numbers, currencies and addresses.
What are common internationalisation mistakes?
Common mistakes include hard-coded text, text embedded in images, layouts that break with longer languages, joining sentence fragments in code, and assuming one date or name format.
Is internationalisation the same as globalisation?
No. Globalisation is the overall business strategy of operating in multiple markets. Internationalisation is the technical and content preparation that makes that possible.