Advocate i18n review

I18n Review

Purpose

Evaluate internationalization readiness across UI, data, and content layers to ensure the product works correctly for users in any locale.

Scope Constraints

Reads source code, templates, and configuration for i18n analysis. Does not modify files or execute code. Does not perform actual translations.

Inputs

• Feature description or codebase path to review
• Target locales (or "all" for general readiness)
• Known i18n framework in use (react-intl, next-intl, i18next, etc.), if any
• Any existing translation files or locale configs

Input Sanitization

No user-provided values are used in commands or file paths. All inputs are treated as read-only analysis targets.

Procedure

Progress Checklist

• Step 1: Audit string externalization
• Step 2: Evaluate locale strategy
• Step 3: Review pluralization handling
• Step 4: Check date/number/currency formatting
• Step 5: Assess RTL layout support
• Step 6: Evaluate cultural UX adaptation

Step 1: Audit String Externalization

• Scan for hardcoded user-facing strings in source files.
• Verify all strings use the project's i18n extraction method (message IDs, translation keys).
• Check for string concatenation that breaks translator context.
• Flag template literals with embedded logic that prevent proper translation.

Step 2: Evaluate Locale Strategy

• Identify how locale is detected (browser, URL, user preference, geo-IP).
• Verify locale persistence across sessions and navigation.
• Check fallback chain (e.g., fr-CA -> fr -> en).
• Confirm locale switching does not cause full page reloads or state loss.

Step 3: Review Pluralization Handling

• Check usage of ICU MessageFormat or equivalent plural rules.
• Verify plural categories beyond "one/other" for languages that need them (zero, two, few, many).
• Flag any manual plural logic (ternary operators, count === 1 checks).

Step 4: Check Date/Number/Currency Formatting

• Verify use of Intl.DateTimeFormat, Intl.NumberFormat, or equivalent locale-aware APIs.
• Flag hardcoded date patterns (MM/DD/YYYY) or number separators.
• Check currency display respects locale conventions.
• Verify timezone handling for date display.

Step 5: Assess RTL Layout Support

• Check for CSS logical properties (inline-start/inline-end vs left/right).
• Verify dir="rtl" attribute propagation.
• Flag hardcoded directional icons (arrows, chevrons) that need mirroring.
• Check text alignment and reading order in mixed-direction content.

Step 6: Evaluate Cultural UX Adaptation

• Review form fields for locale assumptions (name format, address, phone).
• Check for culturally sensitive icons, colors, or imagery.
• Verify text expansion accommodation (German ~30% longer than English).
• Assess sort order and collation for locale-appropriate sorting.

Compaction resilience: If context was lost, re-read the Inputs section to identify the review target, check the Progress Checklist for completed steps, then resume from the earliest incomplete step.

Output Format

Category	Finding	Severity	Recommendation
String externalization	...	High/Med/Low	...
Locale strategy	...	...	...
Pluralization	...	...	...
Date/Number formatting	...	...	...
RTL support	...	...	...
Cultural adaptation	...	...	...

Handoff

• Hand off to interaction-design if component-level state changes are needed for locale-specific UI adaptations.
• Hand off to craftsman/pattern-analysis if i18n framework integration patterns need implementation review.

Quality Checks

• All hardcoded user-facing strings identified
• Locale detection and fallback chain documented
• Plural rules go beyond simple one/other where needed
• Date/number formatting uses locale-aware APIs
• RTL layout assessed with logical properties
• Text expansion impact on layouts evaluated
• Form fields checked for locale assumptions
• Severity ratings applied to all findings

Evolution Notes

<!-- Observations appended after each use -->