How to localize the SUMO interface

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The information below is quite lengthy and complex. If you need help or notice any inconsistencies, please let us know on the l10n forum.

What are UI strings?

Each element of the SUMO site interface that is text, but not the help content itself - all the buttons and navigation links. The text of each such element is a "string".

We currently have two servers for SUMO:

  1. https://support.mozilla.org - our real server, also known as "prod" (short for "production")
  2. https://support.allizom.org - out release testing server (this is not a server to test localizations - a broken string will be a broken string both here and on the production server).

The strings you translate are regularly transferred to the testing and production servers, where you can see them in action.

Where can I localize strings?

We use different tools to localize UI strings, depending on the choices made by locale teams. Please ask your Locale Leaders about the details for your locale.

UI strings for SUMO are localized in a variety of tools:

Pootle is still being set up for Mozilla l10n, more links will appear below as they become available. Thank you for your patience.
  • Pootle - used by several locales - an updated version of the legacy tool (Verbatim)

How can I localize strings in Pontoon?

Detailed instructions for using Pontoon can be found here.
Please note that at this moment in time, SUMO is using the Out-of-context method of localization, and not the In-context option that Pontoon offers.
  1. Register or log in through the main site. If you have a Mozilla LDAP account you can just log in with your LDAP username and password. Otherwise, you'll have to register for an account before you can login.
  2. Navigate to SUMO strings. To do this, click the leftmost navigation breadcrumb in the top left corner of the page, and type "SUMO". Click the option that appears. In a similar way, choose your locale and the file you want to localize in the following breadcrumbs. Finally, click Go.
  3. View missing strings. To do this, click the funnel/filter icon below the navigation breadcrumbs and choose Missing, Fuzzy or Untranslated to display strings that require work. If you want to find a particular string, use the Search box next to the funnel/filter icon and input the text in English.
  4. Translate the text and make sure you save your work.

How can I review suggestions in Pontoon?

If you are a Reviewer in Pontoon, you will occasionally have to approve strings suggested by others. To do so:

  1. Log in as described above.
  2. Navigate to the SUMO project, as described above.
  3. View suggested strings. To do this, click the funnel/filter icon below the navigation breadcrumbs and choose Suggested or Has Suggestions to display strings that require reviewing. If you want to find a particular string, use the Search box next to the funnel/filter icon and input the text in English.
  4. To approve an existing suggestion, review the suggestions in the bottom right part of the screen, and approve the best one using the "checkmark" symbol.
Do you have any questions? Do you need assistance while localizing? Please tell us on the l10n forum.

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