Context extraction

Context Extraction

Information sources (priority order)

For each string, use these JSONL fields in order - stop when you have enough to write a confident ai_context:

1. text - the source string itself; always the primary signal
2. key - often encodes structure (e.g. button.save, modal.title.delete_user, error.network.timeout)
3. context - may contain a free-text description, a translator comment, a source file reference, or be empty; treat as supplementary and don't assume any specific format
4. Source files - only if context contains a parseable file path + line number and the string is still ambiguous; read ±10–15 lines around the reference to identify UI element type, surrounding component, and props

Strings that need context

Prioritize these - skip strings that are already clear from text + key alone:

• Ambiguous short words - single verbs, nouns, or adjectives that change meaning depending on UI placement
• Color / status names - words that name a color, state, or category; could be a label, badge, or filter
• ICU / message format strings - strings with plural forms or named parameters whose meaning depends on what's being counted or substituted
• Strings with inline tags - text containing markup tags where the role of the tagged portion isn't clear from the string alone
• Short phrases with unclear scope - brief imperative or standalone phrases that could belong to multiple UI contexts

Writing good ai_context values

• 1–3 sentences, written for a translator - not a developer
• State the UI element type (button, label, tab, tooltip, modal title, dropdown option, etc.) and where it appears
• For plurals: what entity is counted, what # is replaced with
• For inline tags: what the tagged portion renders as (link, code, bold text, etc.)
• For color/status names: whether it's a selectable option, badge, filter label, etc.
• Avoid file names and variable names unless they clarify meaning

Examples

String	Key	Good ai_context
"Red"	color.red	"Color option label in a color picker. Refers to the color red as a selectable choice."
"Blue"	(none)	"Color name used as a selectable option or status label. Clarify based on surrounding UI."
"{count, plural, one {# month} other {# months}}"	duration.months	"Displays a duration in months. '#' is replaced by the numeric count."
"Edit <0>src/App.tsx</0> and save to test HMR"	(none)	"Instructional UI message. The tagged portion is rendered as an inline code element highlighting a filename."
"New"	button.new	"Label for a button that creates a new item. The exact entity depends on the current page context."

JSONL file safety rules

Only ever edit the ai_context field value. Never touch id, key, text, file, or context.

Editing procedure

Single-string (1–5 lines): Use StrReplace scoped to the exact line. Target the "ai_context":"" substring (or the full current value if already set):

old: "ai_context":""
new: "ai_context":"Your context here."

Batch (many strings): When dozens or hundreds of lines need context, work in batches instead of one string at a time.

• Read a portion of the file (or the whole file if manageable), identify lines that need ai_context, fill context for a batch of those lines (parse line as JSON, set ai_context, serialize back to a single line), then write or apply that batch of changes. Repeat for the next batch until done.
• Prefer writing (or applying edits) in batches of lines rather than a single global read-then-write or hundreds of single-line replacements. Batch size is up to the implementer (e.g. tens or a hundred lines per batch).
• When batching, still apply the validity checklist below to a sample of changed lines before saving.

Validity checklist (verify before saving)

• The line is still a single valid JSON object
• ai_context value is a quoted string
• No unescaped double quotes inside the value - use \"
• No literal newlines inside the value - keep it on one line
• No fields added, removed, or reordered

Character escaping

• " → \"
• \ → \\
• Newline → avoid; use a space instead