XLIFF¶
Summary¶
XML Localization Interchange File Format — an XML-based standard for exchanging localization data between tools. Designed to be a common format that any CAT tool can read and write.
Purpose¶
XLIFF solves the problem of translator tool interoperability: - Developer extracts translatable strings → exports as XLIFF - Translator opens XLIFF in any CAT tool → translates - Developer imports translated XLIFF → generates localized files
Structure¶
XLIFF files contain: - Source text — Original strings to translate - Target text — Translations (filled in by translator) - Metadata — File references, context, state information - Tags — Preserved formatting and markup
XLIFF Versions¶
- XLIFF 1.2 — Widely supported, established standard
- XLIFF 2.0 — Modern version with improved structure
Tools That Use XLIFF¶
omegaT— Generates XLIFF files for translatorsbox-mojito— Produces XLIFFs from extracted stringspoedit— Edits XLIFF files alongside PO files- Most commercial CAT tools (Trados, memoQ, Smartcat)
XLIFF vs PO¶
| XLIFF | PO (gettext) | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | XML | Plain text |
| Complexity | Higher | Simpler |
| Industry support | Broad (all CAT tools) | Strong (open-source focus) |
| Metadata | Rich | Limited |
| Readability | Less human-readable | More human-readable |