93 lines
3.3 KiB
Markdown
93 lines
3.3 KiB
Markdown
# Phase 34: i18n Foundation - Discussion Log
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> **Audit trail only.** Do not use as input to planning, research, or execution agents.
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> Decisions are captured in CONTEXT.md — this log preserves the alternatives considered.
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**Date:** 2026-04-13
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**Phase:** 34-i18n Foundation
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**Areas discussed:** Translation scope & boundaries, Library & architecture, Language selection UX, First additional language
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---
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## Translation Scope & Boundaries
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| Option | Description | Selected |
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|--------|-------------|----------|
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| UI chrome only | Buttons, labels, headings, empty states, errors, navigation | |
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| UI chrome + system content | UI chrome plus default categories, onboarding text, MCP descriptions | ✓ |
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| Everything including catalog | UI + system + catalog item names/descriptions per locale | |
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**User's choice:** UI chrome + system content
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**Notes:** Catalog data translation deferred — too much content to maintain translations for.
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---
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## Library & Architecture
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### Library choice
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| Option | Description | Selected |
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|--------|-------------|----------|
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| react-i18next | Most popular, hook-based, JSON files, namespaces, lazy loading | |
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| Lingui | Compile-time extraction, smaller runtime, macro-based | |
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| You decide | Claude picks based on stack fit | ✓ |
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**User's choice:** Claude's discretion
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### Translation storage
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| Option | Description | Selected |
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|--------|-------------|----------|
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| JSON files in repo | en.json, de.json checked into git. Simple, reviewable in PRs | ✓ |
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| External translation service | Crowdin/Lokalise with web UI for translators | |
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| You decide | Claude picks | |
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**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.
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---
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## Language Selection UX
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| Option | Description | Selected |
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|--------|-------------|----------|
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| Separate setting | Language and currency/market are independent | |
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| Tied to market | EUR/DE = German, GBP/UK = English | |
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| Auto-detect with override | Browser locale auto-detect, independent from market, overridable | ✓ |
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**User's choice:** Auto-detect with override, independent from market/currency.
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---
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## First Additional Language
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### Language choice
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| Option | Description | Selected |
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|--------|-------------|----------|
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| German (de) | Primary target market, user speaks it natively | ✓ |
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| French (fr) | Tests different grammar family | |
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| Both German + French | Stress-tests the system | |
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**User's choice:** German. User noted they can't validate French ("aint speaking french, can only send ai agents to test").
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### Translation production
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| Option | Description | Selected |
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|--------|-------------|----------|
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| Manual translation | User writes German strings | |
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| AI-generated, user reviews | Claude generates, user does formal review pass | |
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| AI-generated, fix organically | Claude generates, user catches issues during normal app usage | ✓ |
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**User's choice:** AI-generated, no dedicated review — fix issues as they're noticed.
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## Claude's Discretion
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- Library choice (react-i18next vs. Lingui)
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- String key naming convention
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- Dynamic content interpolation patterns
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- Extraction strategy (bulk vs. incremental)
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## Deferred Ideas
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None — discussion stayed within phase scope.
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