Mozilla localization provides support for multiple languages and cultures, and allows international users to use localized Mozilla products. Mozilla localization tools include browser user interface language packs, documentations translation, packaging and distribution.
The core Mozilla binary executable for each platform supports computing in North American English, Western European, Central European, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and other locales. The user interface is contained in resource files that are separate from the Mozilla core binary. Mozilla uses XUL (an XML-based User Interface Language) for storing UI layout and text resources. XUL is cross-platform and multilingual, and the localizable string data are kept in seperated .dtd files using UTF-8.
XUL uses standard based protocols such as XML, RDF, JavaScript, CSS and HTML 4x. It allows the user interface language to be largely independent of the OS locale. Mozilla uses XPInstall, a cross-platform install facility These XPI packages are commonly referred to as “language packs.” Mozilla language packs are individual “zip” archives placed in the binaries chrome/ directory. Mozilla localization provides standardized XUL application packaging components using an install script that Mozilla can download and execute. Developers need to translate the language packs, and distribute them after re-packaging the translated language packs. There are productivity localization tools such as Mozilla Translator, which helps to manage language packs translation process. Those tools can free the localizer from the burden of directly handling files, extracting the original localizable resources from its archives, and, once localized, repackaging the material in a distributable form.
Mozilla Translator is a GUI-based localization and leveraging tool written in Java, and t is widely used in the Mozilla localization community. Localizer uses it to open the original English language packs and translate the packaged UI text item by item within the GUI. Fig.1 is the screenshot of Mozilla translator:
Fig.1: Mozilla Translator. Click on image for full-size display.
To make new language packs available for the public after translation, Mozilla Translator can package the translated new language packs to Mozilla XPI file.
Fig.2: Exporting translated resources to XPI with Mozilla Translator
The packaged XPI language packs can be placed on the Web, and Mozilla can download and install XPI automatically when it connects to a valid XPI file via HTTP. The new installed language pack will take effect after switching to new language pack, and then closing and restarting Mozilla. Once the language pack installation is complete, the language can be selected in the Mozilla preferences menu under the Language/Contents category.
Fig.3: Mozilla language packs preferences window. Click on image for full-size display.
The localizer can also create a complete distribution of Mozilla in his/her own language. Both the available installable language packs and localized full builds can be downloaded. Fig.4 is a screenshot of a Mozilla browser with the Hebrew language pack activated. All GUI controls such as window menu, toolbar and dialog display \ text from right to left based on the bidirectional language specification.
Fig.4: Mozilla Hebrew language pack. Click on image for full-size display.
Since Mozilla language packs are platform independent, the localization can be done once and run on Windows, Linux, UNIX, and other platforms. This reduces the translation effort required for product distribution. | 
