# Phase 34: i18n Foundation - Discussion Log

> **Audit trail only.** Do not use as input to planning, research, or execution agents.
> Decisions are captured in CONTEXT.md — this log preserves the alternatives considered.

**Date:** 2026-04-13
**Phase:** 34-i18n Foundation
**Areas discussed:** Translation scope & boundaries, Library & architecture, Language selection UX, First additional language

---

## Translation Scope & Boundaries

| Option | Description | Selected |
|--------|-------------|----------|
| UI chrome only | Buttons, labels, headings, empty states, errors, navigation | |
| UI chrome + system content | UI chrome plus default categories, onboarding text, MCP descriptions | ✓ |
| Everything including catalog | UI + system + catalog item names/descriptions per locale | |

**User's choice:** UI chrome + system content
**Notes:** Catalog data translation deferred — too much content to maintain translations for.

---

## Library & Architecture

### Library choice

| Option | Description | Selected |
|--------|-------------|----------|
| react-i18next | Most popular, hook-based, JSON files, namespaces, lazy loading | |
| Lingui | Compile-time extraction, smaller runtime, macro-based | |
| You decide | Claude picks based on stack fit | ✓ |

**User's choice:** Claude's discretion

### Translation storage

| Option | Description | Selected |
|--------|-------------|----------|
| JSON files in repo | en.json, de.json checked into git. Simple, reviewable in PRs | ✓ |
| External translation service | Crowdin/Lokalise with web UI for translators | |
| You decide | Claude picks | |

**User's choice:** JSON in repo. User asked whether this is easy to switch later — confirmed it is. Translation keys are the same regardless of storage; switching to external service is a CI/sync change, not a code rewrite.

---

## Language Selection UX

| Option | Description | Selected |
|--------|-------------|----------|
| Separate setting | Language and currency/market are independent | |
| Tied to market | EUR/DE = German, GBP/UK = English | |
| Auto-detect with override | Browser locale auto-detect, independent from market, overridable | ✓ |

**User's choice:** Auto-detect with override, independent from market/currency.

---

## First Additional Language

### Language choice

| Option | Description | Selected |
|--------|-------------|----------|
| German (de) | Primary target market, user speaks it natively | ✓ |
| French (fr) | Tests different grammar family | |
| Both German + French | Stress-tests the system | |

**User's choice:** German. User noted they can't validate French ("aint speaking french, can only send ai agents to test").

### Translation production

| Option | Description | Selected |
|--------|-------------|----------|
| Manual translation | User writes German strings | |
| AI-generated, user reviews | Claude generates, user does formal review pass | |
| AI-generated, fix organically | Claude generates, user catches issues during normal app usage | ✓ |

**User's choice:** AI-generated, no dedicated review — fix issues as they're noticed.

## Claude's Discretion

- Library choice (react-i18next vs. Lingui)
- String key naming convention
- Dynamic content interpolation patterns
- Extraction strategy (bulk vs. incremental)

## Deferred Ideas

None — discussion stayed within phase scope.
