docs(34): capture phase context

.planning/phases/34-i18n-foundation/34-DISCUSSION-LOG.md

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+# 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.