Laravel Localization

1. Setting Up Localization

First, you need to set the default locale and available locales in the config/app.php file.

Example: Configuration in config/app.php

'locale' => 'en',
'fallback_locale' => 'en',
'locales' => ['en', 'es', 'fr'],

locale: The default language of the application.
fallback_locale: The language used if the requested translation is not available.
locales: An array of available languages for your application.

2. Creating Language Files

Laravel uses language files to store translation strings. These files are located in the resources/lang directory. You can create language files for each language, such as en/messages.php, es/messages.php, etc.

Example: Creating Language Files

English file (resources/lang/en/messages.php)

return [
    'welcome' => 'Welcome to our platform!',
    'login' => 'Login',
];

Spanish file (resources/lang/es/messages.php)

return [
    'welcome' => '¡Bienvenido a nuestra plataforma!',
    'login' => 'Iniciar sesión',
];

3. Using Translations in Views

You can use the __() helper function to access translated strings in your Blade views.

Example: Using Translations in Blade

<h1>{{ __('messages.welcome') }}</h1>
<a href="#">{{ __('messages.login') }}</a>

4. Switching Languages Dynamically

You can switch the language dynamically by setting the locale using the App::setLocale() method.

Example: Switching Languages in Controller

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\App;

public function switchLanguage($locale)
{
    if (in_array($locale, ['en', 'es', 'fr'])) {
        App::setLocale($locale);
    }
    return redirect()->back();
}

5. Creating Validation Messages in Multiple Languages

Laravel also provides localization for validation messages. You can create translation files for validation messages in the resources/lang/{locale}/validation.php file.

Example: Creating Validation Messages

English (resources/lang/en/validation.php)

return [
    'required' => 'The :attribute field is required.',
    'email' => 'The :attribute must be a valid email address.',
];

6. Accessing Validation Messages in Views

Validation messages are automatically translated based on the current locale.

Example: Using Validation Messages in Blade

@error('email')
    <div>{{ __('validation.email') }}</div>
@enderror

7. Localization with Date and Time

Laravel also provides localization for dates and times using the Carbon package, which allows you to format dates in the selected locale.

Example: Formatting Dates in Different Locales

use Carbon\Carbon;

echo Carbon::now()->locale('es')->isoFormat('LLLL'); // Spanish formatted date

8. Conclusion

Laravel's localization features make it easy to translate and manage multi-language content within your application. By setting up language files, switching locales dynamically, and translating validation messages, you can create a multilingual experience for users across the globe.

LARAVEL