Lingo.dev + .xcstrings (Xcode)

Lingo.dev CLI translates Xcode .xcstrings files while preserving pluralization rules, device variations, and iOS-specific metadata. The CLI works directly with Xcode's localization workflow, generates code-accessible string constants, handles complex iOS pluralization rules automatically, supports platform-specific string variations, and integrates seamlessly with Xcode build processes.

Quick Setup

Configure for Xcode's modern string catalog format:

{
  "locale": {
    "source": "en",
    "targets": ["es", "fr", "de", "ja"]
  },
  "buckets": {
    "xcode-xcstrings": {
      "include": ["Resources/Localizable.xcstrings"]
    }
  }
}

Translate String Catalogs

npx lingo.dev@latest i18n

Automatically handles pluralization, device variations, and Xcode-specific metadata while preserving iOS conventions.

String Catalog Features

Basic Localization

{
  "sourceLanguage": "en",
  "strings": {
    "welcome_message": {
      "localizations": {
        "en": {
          "stringUnit": {
            "state": "translated",
            "value": "Welcome to our app!"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Plural Variations

{
  "item_count": {
    "localizations": {
      "en": {
        "variations": {
          "plural": {
            "zero": {
              "stringUnit": {
                "state": "translated",
                "value": "No items"
              }
            },
            "one": {
              "stringUnit": {
                "state": "translated",
                "value": "%d item"
              }
            },
            "other": {
              "stringUnit": {
                "state": "translated",
                "value": "%d items"
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Device Variations

Supports device-specific strings for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and other Apple platforms.

Format Preservation

• Metadata Intact: State, comments, and extraction state preserved
• Variations Safe: All plural and device variations maintained
• Structure Preserved: JSON hierarchy and Xcode-specific keys unchanged
• Placeholder Safe: iOS format specifiers like %@, %d maintained

Advanced Configuration

Multiple Catalogs

"xcode-xcstrings": {
  "include": [
    "Resources/Localizable.xcstrings",
    "Resources/InfoPlist.xcstrings"
  ]
}

Lock System Keys

"xcode-xcstrings": {
  "include": ["Resources/Localizable.xcstrings"],
  "lockedKeys": ["CFBundleName", "NSHumanReadableCopyright"]
}