Lingo.dev + .json5 (JSON5)

Lingo.dev CLI translates JSON5 locale files with full support for JSON5 syntax including comments, unquoted keys, trailing commas, and single quotes. The CLI preserves JSON5 formatting and developer-friendly syntax while maintaining framework compatibility and processing only modified content for cost efficiency.

Quick Setup

Create an i18n.json configuration file:

{
  "locale": {
    "source": "en",
    "targets": ["es", "fr", "de"]
  },
  "buckets": {
    "json5": {
      "include": ["locales/[locale].json5"]
    }
  }
}

Reminder: [locale] is a placeholder that should remain in the config literally, as it's replaced with the actual locale during CLI run.

Translate Everything

npx lingo.dev@latest i18n

Automatically processes JSON5 syntax features, preserves comments and formatting, and updates only changed content.

JSON5 Syntax Support

JSON5 extends JSON with developer-friendly syntax:

{
  // Comments are supported
  title: "Hello, world!", // Line comments work
  description: 'Single quotes allowed',
  unquoted: 'keys work without quotes',
  trailing: 'comma is ok',
  
  /* Block comments
     are also supported */
  multiline: "This is a \
long string that \
spans multiple lines",
  
  // Hexadecimal numbers
  hex_value: 0xDEADBEEF,
  positive: +123,
  
  nested: {
    key: 'value',
  }, // Trailing comma allowed
}

Smart Structure Preservation

Maintains JSON5 syntax and framework conventions:

{
  nav: {
    home: "Home",
    about: {
      team: "Our Team"
    }
  },
  items: {
    one: "{{count}} item",
    other: "{{count}} items"
  },
  // Configuration stays intact
  version: 0x010203
}

Advanced Configuration

Exclude Files

"json5": {
  "include": ["locales/[locale]/*.json5"],
  "exclude": ["locales/[locale]/config.json5"]
}

Lock Technical Keys

"json5": {
  "lockedKeys": ["app/version", "settings/apiKey"]
}

Use forward slash (/) for nested key paths or asterisk (*) to match multiple keys paths.

JSON5 vs JSON

JSON5 provides enhanced developer experience while maintaining full JSON compatibility:

• Comments: Document your translations with inline and block comments
• Unquoted Keys: Cleaner syntax without quotes around property names
• Trailing Commas: Easier editing and version control diffs
• Single Quotes: Flexibility in string quoting
• Multiline Strings: Better readability for long text
• Number Formats: Hexadecimal, positive signs, and more

All JSON files are valid JSON5, making migration seamless.