🌍 Internationalization (i18n)

The Internationalization (i18n) feature allows Strapi users to create, manage and distribute localized content in different languages, called "locales". For more information about the concept of internationalization, please refer to the W3C definition.

The i18n feature:

allows admin panel users to create several localized versions of their content (see User Guide)
allows developers to build localized projects by fetching and consuming the right content depending on the country/language of the audience.

👀 Info

The i18n feature does not automatically translate the users' content nor adapt the admin interface to languages specificities (e.g., displaying the admin panel in Right To Left format).

✏️ Notes

In Strapi 5, i18n is no longer a plugin and is installed by default. You can still decide to enable/disable it on a content-type, and enable/disable it at the field-level in an i18n-enabled content-type.
Since i18n is part of the Strapi core, this might affect how some parameters are sent to the Content Manager (see the related breaking change entry).

Configuration of the default locale

A STRAPI_PLUGIN_I18N_INIT_LOCALE_CODE environment variable can be configured to set the default locale for your environment. The value used for this variable should be an ISO country code (see full list of available locales).

This is useful when a Strapi application is deployed in production, with the i18n feature installed and enabled for your content types the first time. On a fresh i18n installation, en is set as default locale. If the database does not contain any locale, and no STRAPI_PLUGIN_I18N_INIT_LOCALE_CODE is set for the environment, all documents of content types that have localization enabled will be automatically migrated to the en locale.

Use `locale` with the REST API

The Internationalization (i18n) feature adds new abilities to the REST API.

☑️ Prerequisites

To work with API content for a locale, please ensure the locale has been already added to Strapi in the admin panel.

The locale API parameter can be used to work documents only for a specified locale. locale takes a locale code as a value (see full list of available locales).

💡 Tip

If the locale parameter is not defined, it will be set to the default locale. en is the default locale when a new Strapi project is created, but another locale can be set as the default locale in the admin panel.

For instance, by default, a GET request to /api/restaurants will return the same response as a request to /api/restaurants?locale=en.

The following table lists the new possible use cases added by i18n to the REST API and gives syntax examples (you can click on requests to jump to the corresponding section with more details):

For collection types
For single types

Use case	Syntax example and link for more information
Get all documents in a specific locale	`GET /api/restaurants?locale=fr`
Get a specific locale version for a document	`GET /api/restaurants/abcdefghijklmno456?locale=fr`
Create a new document for the default locale	`POST /api/restaurants` + pass attributes in the request body
Create a new document for a specific locale	`POST /api/restaurants` + pass attributes and locale in the request body
Create a new, or update an existing, locale version for an existing document	`PUT /api/restaurants/abcdefghijklmno456?locale=fr` + pass attributes in the request body
Delete a specific locale version of a document	`DELETE /api/restaurants/abcdefghijklmno456?locale=fr`

Use case	Syntax example and link for more information
Get a specific locale version for a document	`GET /api/homepage?locale=fr`
Create a new, or update an existing, locale version for an existing document	`PUT /api/homepage?locale=fr` + pass attributes in the request body
Delete a specific locale version of a document	`DELETE /api/homepage?locale=fr`

Get all documents in a specific locale

Example request

GET http://localhost:1337/api/restaurants?locale=fr

Example response

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 5,
      "documentId": "h90lgohlzfpjf3bvan72mzll",
      "Title": "Meilleures pizzas",
      "Body": [
        {
          "type": "paragraph",
          "children": [
            {
              "type": "text",
              "text": "On déguste les meilleures pizzas de la ville à la Pizzeria Arrivederci."
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "createdAt": "2024-03-06T22:08:59.643Z",
      "updatedAt": "2024-03-06T22:10:21.127Z",
      "publishedAt": "2024-03-06T22:10:21.130Z",
      "locale": "fr"
    }
  ],
  "meta": {
    "pagination": {
      "page": 1,
      "pageSize": 25,
      "pageCount": 1,
      "total": 1
    }
  }
}

Get a document in a specific locale

To get a specific document in a given locale, add the locale parameter to the query:

Use case	Syntax format and link for more information
In a collection type	`GET /api/content-type-plural-name/document-id?locale=locale-code`
In a single type	`GET /api/content-type-singular-name?locale=locale-code`

Collection types

To get a specific document in a collection type in a given locale, add the locale parameter to the query, after the documentId:

Example request

GET /api/restaurants/lr5wju2og49bf820kj9kz8c3?locale=fr

Example response

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 22,
      "documentId": "lr5wju2og49bf820kj9kz8c3",
      "Name": "Biscotte Restaurant",
      "Description": [
        {
          "type": "paragraph",
          "children": [
            {
              "type": "text",
              "text": "Bienvenue au restaurant Biscotte! Le Restaurant Biscotte propose une cuisine à base de produits frais et de qualité, souvent locaux, biologiques lorsque cela est possible, et toujours produits par des producteurs passionnés."
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      // …
      "locale": "fr"
    },
    // …
  ],
  "meta": {
    "pagination": {
      "page": 1,
      "pageSize": 25,
      "pageCount": 1,
      "total": 3
    }
  }
}

Single types

To get a specific single type document in a given locale, add the locale parameter to the query, after the single type name:

Example request

GET /api/homepage?locale=fr

Example response

{
  "data": {
    "id": 10,
    "documentId": "ukbpbnu8kbutpn98rsanyi50",
    "Title": "Page d'accueil",
    "Body": null,
    "createdAt": "2024-03-07T13:28:26.349Z",
    "updatedAt": "2024-03-07T13:28:26.349Z",
    "publishedAt": "2024-03-07T13:28:26.353Z",
    "locale": "fr"
  },
  "meta": {}
}

Create a new localized document for a collection type

To create a localized document from scratch, send a POST request to the Content API. Depending on whether you want to create it for the default locale or for another locale, you might need to pass the locale parameter in the request's body

Use case	Syntax format and link for more information
Create for the default locale	`POST /api/content-type-plural-name`
Create for a specific locale	`POST /api/content-type-plural-name` + pass locale in request body

For the default locale

If no locale has been passed in the request body, the document is created using the default locale for the application:

Example request

POST http://localhost:1337/api/restaurants

{
  "data": {
    "Name": "Oplato",
  }
}

Example response

{
  "data": {
    "id": 13,
    "documentId": "jae8klabhuucbkgfe2xxc5dj",
    "Name": "Oplato",
    "Description": null,
    "createdAt": "2024-03-06T22:19:54.646Z",
    "updatedAt": "2024-03-06T22:19:54.646Z",
    "publishedAt": "2024-03-06T22:19:54.649Z",
    "locale": "en"
  },
  "meta": {}
}

For a specific locale

To create a localized entry for a locale different from the default one, add the locale attribute to the body of the POST request:

Example request

POST http://localhost:1337/api/restaurants

{
  "data": {
    "Name": "She's Cake",
    "locale": "fr"
  }
}

Example response

{
  "data": {
    "id": 15,
    "documentId": "ldcmn698iams5nuaehj69j5o",
    "Name": "She's Cake",
    "Description": null,
    "createdAt": "2024-03-06T22:21:18.373Z",
    "updatedAt": "2024-03-06T22:21:18.373Z",
    "publishedAt": "2024-03-06T22:21:18.378Z",
    "locale": "en"
  },
  "meta": {}
}

Create a new, or update an existing, locale version for an existing document

With PUT requests sent to an existing document, you can:

create another locale version of the document,
or update an existing locale version of the document.

Send the PUT request to the appropriate URL, adding the locale=your-locale-code parameter to the query URL and passing attributes in a data object in the request's body:

Use case	Syntax format and link for more information
In a collection type	`PUT /api/content-type-plural-name/document-id?locale=locale-code`
In a single type	`PUT /api/content-type-singular-name?locale=locale-code`

✋ Caution

When creating a localization for existing localized entries, the body of the request can only accept localized fields.

💡 Tip

The Content-Type should have the createLocalization permission enabled, otherwise the request will return a 403: Forbidden status.

✏️ Note

It is not possible to change the locale of an existing localized entry. When updating a localized entry, if you set a locale attribute in the request body it will be ignored.

In a collection type

To create a new locale for an existing document in a collection type, add the locale parameter to the query, after the documentId, and pass data to the request's body:

Example request: Creating a French locale for an existing restaurant

PUT http://localhost:1337/api/restaurants/lr5wju2og49bf820kj9kz8c3?locale=fr

{
  data: {
    "Name": "She's Cake in French",
  }
}

Example response

{
  "data": {
    "id": 19,
    "documentId": "lr5wju2og49bf820kj9kz8c3",
    "Name": "She's Cake in French",
    "Description": null,
    "createdAt": "2024-03-07T12:13:09.551Z",
    "updatedAt": "2024-03-07T12:13:09.551Z",
    "publishedAt": "2024-03-07T12:13:09.554Z",
    "locale": "fr"
  },
  "meta": {}
}

In a single type

To create a new locale for an existing single type document, add the locale parameter to the query, after the single type name, and pass data to the request's body:

Example: Create a FR locale for an existing Homepage single type

PUT http://localhost:1337/api/homepage?locale=fr

{
  "data": {
    "Title": "Page d'accueil"
  }
}

Example response

{
  "data": {
    "id": 10,
    "documentId": "ukbpbnu8kbutpn98rsanyi50",
    "Title": "Page d'accueil",
    "Body": null,
    "createdAt": "2024-03-07T13:28:26.349Z",
    "updatedAt": "2024-03-07T13:28:26.349Z",
    "publishedAt": "2024-03-07T13:28:26.353Z",
    "locale": "fr"
  },
  "meta": {}
}

Delete a locale version of a document

To delete a locale version of a document, send a DELETE request with the appropriate locale parameter.

DELETE requests only send a 204 HTTP status code on success and do not return any data in the response body.

In a collection type

To delete only a specific locale version of a document in a collection type, add the locale parameter to the query after the documentId:

Example request

DELETE /api/restaurants/abcdefghijklmno456?locale=fr

In a single type

To delete only a specific locale version of a single type document, add the locale parameter to the query after the single type name:

Example request

DELETE /api/homepage?locale=fr

Use `locale` with the GraphQL API

The i18n feature adds new features to the GraphQL API:

The locale field is added to the GraphQL schema.
GraphQL can be used:
- to query documents for a specific locale with the locale argument
- for mutations to create, update, and delete documents for a specific locale

Fetch all documents in a specific locale

To fetch all documents for a specific locale, pass the locale argument to the query:

Example request

query {
  restaurants(locale: "fr") {
    documentId
    name
    locale
  }
}

Example response

{
  "data": {
    "restaurants": [
      {
        "documentId": "a1b2c3d4e5d6f7g8h9i0jkl",
        "name": "Restaurant Biscotte",
        "locale": "fr"
      },
      {
        "documentId": "m9n8o7p6q5r4s3t2u1v0wxyz",
        "name": "Pizzeria Arrivederci",
        "locale": "fr"
      },
    ]
  }
}

Fetch a document in a specific locale

To fetch a documents for a specific locale, pass the documentId and the locale arguments to the query:

Example query

query Restaurant($documentId: ID!, $locale: I18NLocaleCode) {
  restaurant(documentId: "a1b2c3d4e5d6f7g8h9i0jkl", locale: "fr") {
    documentId
    name
    description
    locale
  }
}

Example response

{
  "data": {
    "restaurant": {
      "documentId": "lviw819d5htwvga8s3kovdij",
      "name": "Restaurant Biscotte",
      "description": "Bienvenue au restaurant Biscotte!",
      "locale": "fr"
    }
  }
}

Create a new localized document

The locale field can be passed to create a localized document for a specific locale (for more information about mutations with GraphQL, see the GraphQL API documentation).

Example: Create a new restaurant for the French locale
mutation CreateRestaurant($data: RestaurantInput!, $locale: I18NLocaleCode) {
  createRestaurant(
    data: {
      name: "Brasserie Bonjour",
      description: "Description in French goes here"
    },
    locale: "fr"
  ) {
  documentId
  name
  description
  locale
}

Update a document for a specific locale

A locale argument can be passed in the mutation to update a document for a given locale (for more information about mutations with GraphQL, see the GraphQL API documentation).

Example: Update the description field of restaurant for the French locale
mutation UpdateRestaurant($documentId: ID!, $data: RestaurantInput!, $locale: I18NLocaleCode) {
  updateRestaurant(
    documentId: "a1b2c3d4e5d6f7g8h9i0jkl"
    data: {
      description: "New description in French"
    },
    locale: "fr"
  ) {
  documentId
  name
  description
  locale
}

Delete a locale for a document

Pass the locale argument in the mutation to delete a specific localization for a document :

mutation DeleteRestaurant($documentId: ID!, $locale: I18NLocaleCode) {
  deleteRestaurant(documentId: "xzmzdo4k0z73t9i68a7yx2kk", locale: "fr") {
    documentId
  }
}

🌍 Internationalization (i18n)

Configuration of the default locale​

Use locale with the REST API​

Get all documents in a specific locale​

Get a document in a specific locale​

Collection types​

Single types​

Create a new localized document for a collection type​

For the default locale​

For a specific locale​

Create a new, or update an existing, locale version for an existing document​

In a collection type​

In a single type​

Delete a locale version of a document​

In a collection type​

In a single type​

Use locale with the GraphQL API​

Fetch all documents in a specific locale​

Fetch a document in a specific locale​

Create a new localized document​

Update a document for a specific locale​

Delete a locale for a document​

Configuration of the default locale

Use `locale` with the REST API

Get all documents in a specific locale

Get a document in a specific locale

Collection types

Single types

Create a new localized document for a collection type

For the default locale

For a specific locale

Create a new, or update an existing, locale version for an existing document

In a collection type

In a single type

Delete a locale version of a document

In a collection type

In a single type

Use `locale` with the GraphQL API

Fetch all documents in a specific locale

Fetch a document in a specific locale

Create a new localized document

Update a document for a specific locale

Delete a locale for a document