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Localization parameter for back-end

Localization parameter for back-end

Jan 11, 2023

Status

DECIDED

Stakeholders

All back-end module developers

Outcome

Accept-Language HTTP header

Created date

2021-06-09

Owner

@Julian Ladisch 

NOTICE

This decision has been migrated to the Technical Council's Decision Log as part of a consolidation effort.  See:  DR-000012 - Localization parameter for back-end



Background

To translate messages it returns a back-end API needs to know the locale of the client.

Example message: "No item with barcode {itemBarcode} exists", for details see https://folio-org.atlassian.net/wiki/display/I18N/How+To+translate+FOLIO

Example locale: de for German

Two ways to pass the current locale to a back-end API have been proposed:

  • accept-language HTTP header line

  • lang query parameter

For details see FOLIO-3196: DECISION: Localisation parameter for back-endClosed

While it may be possible that Stripes supports multiple ways to pass the locale FOLIO should agree upon a single way that all back-end modules should use.

This was discussed among front-end devs during multiple stripes-architecture meetings with conclusions in STRIPES-750: DECISION: Which module should host back-end translation files?Closed, and then by the Tech Council on 2021-06-09 and 2021-06-16.

Decision

  • Back-end modules shall read the HTTP Accept-Language header, as specified in RFC-7231 Section 5.3.5, to determine the desired locale of the response.

    • The value is case insensitive (e.g. de and DE are equivalent).

    • Multiple values may be present in a comma-separated list.

      • Values may use weights in the range 0-1 appended to each value to indicate preference.

      • Values without a weight shall be considered 1.0.

      • Values with equal weights shall be considered to be ranked in descending order of preference.

      • e.g. de, en-gb;q=0.8, en;q=0.7

    • Values may optionally include subtags (e.g. de-DE). 

  • The default value en-US will be used when a request lacks an Accept-Language header.

  • Unspecified functionality should follow established precedent, e.g RFC-4646 (tags for identifying languages), RFC-7231 (HTTP Accept-Language header), ISO 639-1 (two-letter language codes), etc.