react-i18next vs react-intl vs @lingui/macro
Internationalization Libraries for React Comparison
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What's Internationalization Libraries for React?

Internationalization (i18n) libraries for React facilitate the adaptation of applications for different languages and regions without engineering changes. They provide tools for translating text, formatting dates, numbers, and currencies, and managing pluralization and gender variations. These libraries help developers create applications that cater to a global audience, ensuring that users can interact with the application in their preferred language, thus enhancing user experience and accessibility.

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react-i18next4,694,5949,512330 kB282 months agoMIT
react-intl1,822,96614,449237 kB3816 days agoBSD-3-Clause
@lingui/macro147,1964,9927.29 kB4121 days agoMIT
Feature Comparison: react-i18next vs react-intl vs @lingui/macro

Translation Management

  • react-i18next:

    react-i18next provides a powerful translation management system that supports features like namespaces, dynamic loading of translations, and fallback languages. It allows for easy organization of translation files and supports multiple formats, making it suitable for complex applications.

  • react-intl:

    react-intl offers a structured approach to translation management, leveraging the ICU message format for defining translations. This allows for advanced features like pluralization and gender-specific translations, making it ideal for applications with diverse linguistic requirements.

  • @lingui/macro:

    @lingui/macro simplifies translation management by allowing developers to use macros that automatically extract strings for translation during the build process. This reduces the manual effort required to manage translation keys and ensures that all translatable strings are accounted for.

Performance

  • react-i18next:

    react-i18next is optimized for performance with features like lazy loading of translation files and caching mechanisms. It minimizes the impact on rendering performance by loading only the necessary translations when required, ensuring a smooth user experience even in large applications.

  • react-intl:

    react-intl has a moderate performance overhead due to its reliance on the ECMAScript Internationalization API. However, it provides efficient formatting functions that can be cached, which helps mitigate performance issues in applications with heavy localization needs.

  • @lingui/macro:

    @lingui/macro is designed to be lightweight and efficient, with minimal runtime overhead. Since it relies on compile-time extraction of translation keys, it avoids the performance costs associated with runtime translation lookups, making it a good choice for performance-sensitive applications.

Learning Curve

  • react-i18next:

    react-i18next has a moderate learning curve due to its extensive feature set and configuration options. While it offers a lot of flexibility, developers may need to invest time in understanding its API and best practices to fully leverage its capabilities.

  • react-intl:

    react-intl has a steeper learning curve compared to the other two libraries, primarily due to its reliance on the ICU message format and the ECMAScript Internationalization API. Developers may need to familiarize themselves with these concepts to effectively use the library, especially for complex localization scenarios.

  • @lingui/macro:

    @lingui/macro has a gentle learning curve, especially for developers familiar with Babel and modern JavaScript. Its macro-based approach allows for easy integration into existing projects without a steep learning curve, making it accessible for newcomers to i18n.

Extensibility

  • react-i18next:

    react-i18next offers extensive extensibility through its plugin system, enabling developers to add custom functionalities like backend services for translation management or middleware for handling translations in different contexts. This makes it adaptable to various project requirements.

  • react-intl:

    react-intl is extensible through its API, allowing developers to create custom formatting components and utilities. However, its extensibility is more focused on localization features rather than translation management, making it less flexible in that regard compared to the other libraries.

  • @lingui/macro:

    @lingui/macro is highly extensible, allowing developers to create custom macros and plugins to suit their specific needs. This flexibility makes it suitable for projects that require tailored solutions for unique translation workflows.

Community and Support

  • react-i18next:

    react-i18next boasts a large community and extensive documentation, making it easy to find resources, tutorials, and support. Its popularity ensures that developers can access a wealth of knowledge and examples to aid in implementation.

  • react-intl:

    react-intl is part of the FormatJS ecosystem, which has a strong community and comprehensive documentation. It is widely used in the React ecosystem, providing ample resources and community support for developers.

  • @lingui/macro:

    @lingui/macro has a growing community with increasing adoption, but it may not have as extensive resources and support as more established libraries. However, its documentation is clear and helpful for getting started and troubleshooting.

How to Choose: react-i18next vs react-intl vs @lingui/macro
  • react-i18next:

    Choose react-i18next if you need a robust solution that supports features like lazy loading of translations, interpolation, and context-based translations. It is well-suited for applications that require dynamic language switching and extensive customization options, making it a great choice for larger projects.

  • react-intl:

    Choose react-intl if you want a comprehensive solution that follows the ECMAScript Internationalization API. It is particularly beneficial for applications that require rich formatting capabilities and a strong focus on localization, including support for pluralization and date/time formatting.

  • @lingui/macro:

    Choose @lingui/macro if you prefer a macro-based approach that integrates seamlessly with Babel, allowing for automatic extraction of translation keys from your code. It is ideal for projects that require a lightweight solution with a focus on developer experience and compile-time checks.

Similar Npm Packages to react-i18next

react-i18next is a powerful internationalization (i18n) library for React applications. It is built on top of the popular i18next framework and provides a seamless way to implement multilingual support in React apps. With react-i18next, developers can easily manage translations, handle language switching, and integrate with React's component lifecycle. This library is particularly useful for applications that need to cater to a global audience, ensuring that users can interact with the app in their preferred language.

While react-i18next is a robust solution for internationalization, there are other libraries that also provide i18n capabilities. Here are a couple of alternatives:

  • i18next is the core internationalization framework that serves as the foundation for react-i18next. It is a versatile and powerful library that can be used with various JavaScript frameworks, not just React. i18next provides a comprehensive set of features for managing translations, including support for pluralization, context, and interpolation. If you are looking for a more framework-agnostic solution or need to implement i18n in a non-React application, i18next is an excellent choice.
  • react-intl is another popular library for internationalization in React applications. It is part of the FormatJS project and provides a set of React components and an API for formatting dates, numbers, and strings in a localized manner. React-intl is particularly useful for applications that require advanced formatting capabilities alongside translation. If your application needs to handle complex formatting scenarios in addition to basic translations, react-intl is a strong alternative to consider.

To see how react-i18next compares with i18next and react-intl, check out the comparison: Comparing i18next vs react-i18next vs react-intl.

Similar Npm Packages to react-intl

react-intl is a popular internationalization (i18n) library for React applications. It provides a set of components and APIs to help developers easily format dates, numbers, and strings in a way that is appropriate for different locales. With react-intl, you can create multilingual applications that cater to a global audience, making it easier to manage translations and localization.

While react-intl is a robust solution for internationalization, there are other libraries that offer similar functionalities. Here are a few alternatives:

  • react-i18next is a powerful internationalization framework for React based on the i18next ecosystem. It provides a comprehensive set of features for managing translations, including support for dynamic loading of translations, pluralization, and interpolation. react-i18next is particularly well-suited for applications that require advanced i18n capabilities and flexibility. Its integration with React hooks makes it easy to use in functional components, and it supports a wide range of languages and translation formats.

  • react-intl-universal is another internationalization library that aims to provide a simple and universal solution for managing translations in React applications. It allows developers to load translation files dynamically and supports multiple languages out of the box. react-intl-universal is designed to be lightweight and easy to integrate, making it a good choice for projects that need a straightforward approach to internationalization without the overhead of more complex libraries.

To see how react-intl compares with react-i18next and react-intl-universal, check out the comparison: Comparing react-i18next vs react-intl vs react-intl-universal.

Similar Npm Packages to @lingui/macro

@lingui/macro is a powerful internationalization (i18n) library for JavaScript applications, particularly those built with React. It allows developers to easily manage translations and localization within their applications. By using macros, it simplifies the process of extracting and managing text for translation, making it easier to build multilingual applications. The library is designed to work seamlessly with the LinguiJS ecosystem, providing a robust solution for handling translations while maintaining a clean and efficient codebase.

While @lingui/macro offers a comprehensive approach to internationalization, there are other libraries in the React ecosystem that also provide effective solutions for managing translations. Here are a few alternatives:

  • react-i18next is a popular internationalization library for React applications that builds on top of the i18next framework. It provides a powerful and flexible way to handle translations, including features like lazy loading, interpolation, and pluralization. With a strong focus on performance and ease of use, react-i18next is suitable for both small and large applications. It also supports a wide range of language detection and translation management options, making it a versatile choice for developers looking to implement internationalization in their projects.

  • react-intl is another well-established library for internationalization in React applications. Part of the FormatJS suite, react-intl provides components and APIs for formatting dates, numbers, and strings, as well as managing translations. It emphasizes a message-based approach, allowing developers to define messages in a structured way. react-intl is particularly useful for applications that require rich formatting capabilities and a strong focus on localization standards.

To see how @lingui/macro compares with react-i18next and react-intl, check out the comparison: Comparing @lingui/macro vs react-i18next vs react-intl.

README for react-i18next

react-i18next Tweet

CI Code Climate Coverage Status Quality npm

IMPORTANT:

Master Branch is the newest version using hooks (>= v10).

$ >=v10.0.0
npm i react-i18next

react-native: To use hooks within react-native, you must use react-native v0.59.0 or higher

For the legacy version please use the v9.x.x Branch

$ v9.0.10 (legacy)
npm i react-i18next@legacy

Documentation

The documentation is published on react.i18next.com and PR changes can be supplied here.

The general i18next documentation is published on www.i18next.com and PR changes can be supplied here.

What will my code look like?

Before: Your react code would have looked something like:

...
<div>Just simple content</div>
<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:

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

📖 What others say

Why i18next?

  • Simplicity: no need to change your webpack configuration or add additional babel transpilers, just use create-react-app and go.
  • Production ready we know there are more needs for production than just doing i18n on the clientside, so we offer wider support on serverside too (nodejs, php, ruby, .net, ...). Learn once - translate everywhere.
  • Beyond i18n comes with locize bridging the gap between development and translations - covering the whole translation process.

ecosystem

Localization workflow

Want to learn more about how seamless your internationalization and translation process can be?

video

watch the video

Installation

Source can be loaded via npm or downloaded from this repo.

# npm package
$ npm install react-i18next
  • If you don't use a module loader it will be added to window.reactI18next

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

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.

Examples

v9 samples

Requirements

  • react >= 16.8.0
  • react-dom >= 16.8.0
  • react-native >= 0.59.0
  • i18next >= 10.0.0 (typescript users: >=17.0.9)

v9

Core Contributors

Thanks goes to these wonderful people (emoji key):


Jan Mühlemann
💻 💡 👀 📖 💬
Adriano Raiano
💻 💡 👀 📖 💬
Pedro Durek
💻 💡 👀 💬
Tiger Abrodi
💻 👀

This project follows the all-contributors specification. Contributions of any kind are welcome!

Gold Sponsors

localization as a service - locize.com

Needing a translation management? Want to edit your translations with an InContext Editor? Use the original provided to you by the maintainers of i18next!

locize

By using locize you directly support the future of i18next and react-i18next.

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