Create language files and store them in the resources/lang directory, such as en/messages.php and es/messages.php, or use JSON files; 2. Dynamically set the application language through middleware or URL prefixes, such as reading URL segments or languages in sessions using SetLocale middleware; 3. Call translations using the __() helper function or @lang directive in views and code, such as __('messages.welcome'); 4. Support translations with variables and plural forms, such as 'welcome_user' => 'Welcome, :name!' and '{0} No posts|{1} One post|[2,*] :count posts'; 5. Configure fallback_locale to handle missing translations, and optionally use barryvdh/laravel-translation-manager and other packages to manage translations; 6. The translation management package can be installed through Composer to realize web interface editing and exporting translations. Through the above steps, Laravel applications can easily achieve multilingual support, with flexibility and good scalability.

Adding localization and translation to a Laravel app is straightforward thanks to Laravel's built-in support for multiple languages. Here's how you can set it up effectively.

1. Set Up Language Files

Laravel stores translations in the resources/lang directory. Each language has its own subdirectory (eg, en , es , fr ).

Example structure:

 /resources
  /lang
    /en
      messages.php
    /es
      messages.php

Create a translation file:

 // /resources/lang/en/messages.php
Return [
    'welcome' => 'Welcome to our application',
    'goodbye' => 'Goodbye, see you soon',
];

// /resources/lang/es/messages.php
Return [
    'welcome' => 'Bienvenido a nuestra aplicación',
    'goodbye' => 'Adiós, hasta pronto',
];

You can also use JSON files for single translations (Laravel 9):

 // resources/lang/es.json
{
    "Welcome to our application": "Bienvenido a nuestra aplicación",
    "Goodbye, see you soon": "Adiós, hasta pronto"
}

2. Detect and Set the Application Locale

You can set the app language dynamically using middleware or user preferences.

Option A: Set locale globally (for testing)

 // In a controller or RouteServiceProvider
App::setLocale('es');

Option B: Use middleware to set locale from URL or session

Create a middleware:

 php artisan make:middleware SetLocale

In SetLocale.php :

 public function handle($request, \Closure $next)
{
    $locale = $request->segment(1); // eg, /es/dashboard

    if (in_array($locale, ['en', 'es', 'fr'])) {
        app()->setLocale($locale);
        session()->put('locale', $locale);
    } elseif (session()->has('locale')) {
        app()->setLocale(session('locale'));
    }

    return $next($request);
}

Register the middleware in app/Http/Kernel.php :

 protected $middlewareGroups = [
    'web' => [
        \App\Http\Middleware\SetLocale::class,
        // ... other middleware
    ],
];

Then group your routes:

 Route::group(['prefix' => '{locale?}'], function () {
    Route::get('/dashboard', [DashboardController::class, 'index']);
    Route::get('/', [HomeController::class, 'index']);
});

This way, visiting /es will show Spanish content.

3. Use Translations in Views and Code

Laravel provides several ways to retrieve translations.

Using the __() helper:

 <h1>{{ __(&#39;messages.welcome&#39;) }}</h1>
<p>{{ __(&#39;Goodbye, see you soon&#39;) }}</p>

Using @lang Blade directive:

 <p>@lang(&#39;messages.goodbye&#39;)</p>

In PHP code:

 echo __('messages.welcome');

Note: If using JSON translations, use the full text as the key: __('Welcome to our application') .

4. Pluralization and Variables

For dynamic content, use placeholders and pluralization.

Translation file with variables:

 // resources/lang/en/messages.php
'welcome_user' => 'Welcome, :name!',
'posts' => '{0} No posts|{1} One post|[2,*] :count posts',

Usage:

 {{ __('messages.welcome_user', ['name' => 'John']) }}
{{ __('messages.posts', ['count' => $count]) }}

5. Fallback and Missing Translations

• Laravel uses the fallback_locale (in config/app.php ) if a translation doesn't exist.
• You can also log missing translations using packages like barryvdh/laravel-translation-manager for easier management.

6. Optional: Use a Package for Admin Management

For larger apps, consider using a package to manage translations via UI:

• Laravel Translation Manager
  • Scans your app for translation keys
  • Provides a web interface to edit translations
  • Exports back to language files

Install via Composer:

 composer requires barryvdh/laravel-translation-manager

Follow package instructions to register and configure.

Summary

• Store translations in resources/lang/{locale}/
• Use __() or @lang() in views
• Set locale dynamically via middleware or session
• Support variables and pluralization
• Optionally use a package for managing translations

With these steps, your Laravel app can easily support multiple languages. Basically, it's flexible, built-in, and scales well with your needs.

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