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Getting started

Installation

Install using npm

react-i18next can be added to your project using npm:

# npm
$ npm install react-i18next i18next --save

In the /dist folder you find specific builds for commonjs, es6 modules,...

{% hint style="info" %} The module is optimized to load by webpack, rollup, ... The correct entry points are already configured in the package.json. There should be no extra setup needed to get the best build option. {% endhint %}

Load from CDN

You can also add a script tag to load react-i18next from one of the CDNs providing it, eg.:

unpkg.com

Translation "how to"

{% hint style="info" %} You should read the i18next documentation at some point as we do not repeat all the configuration options and translation functionalities like plurals, formatting, interpolation, ... here. {% endhint %}

You have two options to translate your content:

Simple content

Simple content can easily be translated using the provided t function.

Before:

<div>Just simple content</div>

After:

<div>{t('simpleContent')}</div>

{% hint style="info" %} You will get the t function by using the useTranslation hook or the withTranslation hoc. {% endhint %}

JSX tree

Sometimes you might want to include html formatting or components like links into your translations. (Always try to get the best result for your translators - the final string to translate should be a complete sentence).

Before: Your react code would have looked something like:

<div>
  Hello <strong title="this is your name">{name}</strong>, you have {count} unread message(s). <Link to="/msgs">Go to messages</Link>.
</div>

After: With the trans component just change it to:

<Trans i18nKey="userMessagesUnread" count={count}>
  Hello <strong title={t('nameTitle')}>{{name}}</strong>, you have {{count}} unread message. <Link to="/msgs">Go to messages</Link>.
</Trans>

{% hint style="info" %} Learn more about the Trans Component here {% endhint %}

Basic sample

This basic sample tries to add i18n in a one file sample.

import React from "react";
import { createRoot } from 'react-dom/client';
import i18n from "i18next";
import { useTranslation, initReactI18next } from "react-i18next";

i18n
  .use(initReactI18next) // passes i18n down to react-i18next
  .init({
    // the translations
    // (tip move them in a JSON file and import them,
    // or even better, manage them via a UI: https://react.i18next.com/guides/multiple-translation-files#manage-your-translations-with-a-management-gui)
    resources: {
      en: {
        translation: {
          "Welcome to React": "Welcome to React and react-i18next"
        }
      }
    },
    lng: "en", // if you're using a language detector, do not define the lng option
    fallbackLng: "en",

    interpolation: {
      escapeValue: false // react already safes from xss => https://www.i18next.com/translation-function/interpolation#unescape
    }
  });

function App() {
  const { t } = useTranslation();

  return <h2>{t('Welcome to React')}</h2>;
}

// append app to dom
const root = createRoot(document.getElementById('root'));
root.render(
  <App />
);

RESULT:

Preview of content

{% hint style="info" %} This sample while very simple does come with some drawbacks to getting the full potential from using react-i18next you should read the extended step by step guide. {% endhint %}

Do you like to read a more complete step by step tutorial?

{% hint style="success" %} Here you'll find a simple tutorial on how to best use react-i18next.
Some basics of i18next and some cool possibilities on how to optimize your localization workflow.
 {% endhint %}