What Is Locale?

Table of contents

• Definition
• Use Cases and Examples.
• Summary

Definition

Some software solutions are positioned to serve the global market. This includes people who speak different languages, use different currencies, and even use the comma , and period . differently when it comes to numbers.

Locale is any data that defines a user's preference based on their geographical location.

The process of fine-tuning a software solution to better suit users in a different area, continent, or country is known as localization.

Use Cases and Examples.

Some parameters to consider when localizing a software solution include:

• Language: Considering the language preference of a user might help improve the accessibility of a software solution.
• Date and Time formats: Many EU countries use DD. MM. YYYY for dates whereas in China the widely used format is yyyy-mm-dd
  • Keyboard layout: Many English-speaking countries adopt the QWERTY layout whereas French-speaking countries use the AZERTY layout.
  • Currency: Considering the use of different currencies is not only convenient but also helps with valuing money if the system is used by users with different currencies.
  • Money format: Some regions use dots. to partition numbers (1.000.00) and the comma , (100,12) for decimal places. Representing this correctly can help avoid confusion when it comes to valuing money for example.

Depending on the type of application you may include or exclude some locale parameters.

Summary

Localization is a big subject when it comes to offering your software solution globally.

Some teams have specialists on deck to ensure localization requirements are continuously being met as the software is being built and updated.

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