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Internationalizing a WordPress block theme means giving every user-facing string a consistent text domain, translating both PHP-rendered and editor-side JavaScript text, extracting those strings into translation files, and testing the theme in each target locale. A reliable implementation uses the theme slug as its text domain, WordPress i18n functions in PHP, @wordpress/i18n in JavaScript, PHP pattern files where authored copy needs translation hooks, and WP-CLI to produce the PO and JSON files WordPress loads.
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What internationalization changes in a block theme
Internationalization (often shortened to i18n) prepares a theme for translation without tying its code to one language. Translation is the later step of supplying a locale’s translated catalog. In a block theme, that work spans more than a conventional template directory: users edit templates and template parts in the Site Editor, theme metadata lives in style.css, patterns may contain authored copy, and editor enhancements can run as JavaScript.
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The practical rule is simple: every string displayed to a visitor or an administrator must be passed through the appropriate WordPress localization API. A heading, button label, accessibility label, notice, placeholder, or error message that remains hardcoded cannot be translated through the normal catalog.
| Where the text runs | Typical source | Required approach |
|---|---|---|
| Server-side rendering | PHP templates, pattern files, setup code | Use WordPress PHP i18n functions with the theme text domain. |
| Editor or front-end scripting | Bundled JavaScript that adds controls, notices, or labels | Import functions from @wordpress/i18n, declare wp-i18n as a dependency, and load script translations. |
| Block markup and template content | Static HTML in templates or patterns | Use translatable block attributes where available; move authored strings to a PHP pattern when static markup cannot provide a translation hook. |
| Translation catalogs | PO, MO, and JavaScript JSON files | Extract with WP-CLI, convert JavaScript catalogs to JED 1.x JSON, and place files where WordPress expects them. |
Choose and declare one text domain
Match the theme slug
Use a unique, lowercase, kebab-case text domain that exactly matches the theme slug. WordPress’s theme guidance requires the text domain to match the slug for correct translation handling. If the directory is named arcade-blocks, use arcade-blocks in every localization call; do not alternate between a display name, an underscored variant, and the slug.
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Declare the domain in the theme header in style.css:
/*
Theme Name: Arcade Blocks
Text Domain: arcade-blocks
*/Theme metadata is parsed from this header even when the theme is primarily composed of blocks. Keep the value synchronized if the directory or slug changes.
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Declare a custom language directory when you ship files
If translation files live in a directory supplied by the theme rather than the standard language-pack location, add a Domain Path header. The path is relative to the theme directory, for example:
/*
Theme Name: Arcade Blocks
Text Domain: arcade-blocks
Domain Path: /languages
*/Use the same directory convention for the PO, MO, and JavaScript JSON files you distribute. A domain declaration does not translate anything by itself; it only gives extraction tools and loaders a consistent identity.
Internationalize PHP templates and pattern code
Use the function that matches the message
Wrap each PHP string at the point where it is produced. The common functions are:
| Function | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
__() |
Return a translated string. | __( 'Play now', 'arcade-blocks' ) |
_e() |
Echo a translated string directly. | _e( 'Continue', 'arcade-blocks' ) |
_x() |
Return a translation with an explicit context for an ambiguous word. | _x( 'Save', 'verb', 'arcade-blocks' ) |
_n() |
Select singular or plural text according to a count. | _n( '%s level', '%s levels', $count, 'arcade-blocks' ) |
| Escaping variants | Translate and escape for the output context. | Use the appropriate escaped form when outputting an attribute, HTML text, or another context that requires escaping. |
Every call must contain the same domain declared in style.css. Context is important when one source word has different meanings. “Play” as a verb and “play” as a noun should use separate contexts so translators can distinguish them.
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Handle plurals with the count, not string concatenation
Do not choose a plural by concatenating a number onto a singular sentence. Pass the count to _n() so locales with more than two plural forms can choose the correct translation. Keep the placeholder in both forms and let WordPress format the result:
$count = 3;
$message = sprintf(
_n( '%s level', '%s levels', $count, 'arcade-blocks' ),
number_format_i18n( $count )
);The translation function determines grammatical form; sprintf() inserts the localized number. Do not assume that every language uses the same singular/plural rule as English.
Escape for the destination
Translation does not make a string safe for every output context. Use an escaping variant or escape the returned translation for the destination: HTML text, an attribute, a URL, or JavaScript each has different requirements. Keep markup out of a translatable sentence where possible. When markup is necessary, give translators a clear sentence and preserve the tags consistently.
Translate editor-side JavaScript
Import WordPress’s i18n APIs
JavaScript used by the block editor has its own runtime APIs. Import __, _x, _n, or related functions from @wordpress/i18n, and pass the same theme domain:
import { __, _x, _n } from '@wordpress/i18n';
const label = __( 'Featured level', 'arcade-blocks' );
const action = _x( 'Save', 'verb', 'arcade-blocks' );
const summary = _n( '%s item', '%s items', count, 'arcade-blocks' );Do not substitute a JavaScript-only domain. A catalog can contain PHP and JavaScript entries under the same domain, while the execution contexts and loading mechanisms remain distinct.
Declare the wp-i18n dependency
The generated script must list wp-i18n as a dependency so WordPress loads the localization runtime before your bundle. If you register scripts manually, include that dependency in the registration call. If a build system creates the asset dependency metadata, verify that the resulting registration still includes wp-i18n.
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Register translations before the script runs
For a registered script handle, WordPress provides wp_set_script_translations(). Call it after registering the handle and before enqueuing or executing the script. WordPress can then find the JSON catalog for the active locale and make the translated entries available to @wordpress/i18n.
wp_register_script(
'arcade-blocks-editor',
get_theme_file_uri( 'build/editor.js' ),
array( 'wp-i18n', 'wp-blocks', 'wp-element' ),
null,
true
);
wp_set_script_translations(
'arcade-blocks-editor',
'arcade-blocks'
);
wp_enqueue_script( 'arcade-blocks-editor' );The optional path argument is useful when JSON files are stored outside the default theme language directory. The path must point to the directory containing the generated script catalogs, not to an individual catalog file.
Make authored block-pattern text translatable
Know the limitation of static markup
A static pattern containing literal copy is not automatically a PHP translation call. Text placed directly in markup may be inserted into content as authored text, so changing the site locale later does not necessarily replace it. This is especially important for reusable starter layouts, calls to action, headings, and descriptions that the theme author—not the site owner—wrote.
Move translatable copy into a PHP pattern
A PHP pattern file can call WordPress internationalization functions while constructing the pattern. Use this approach when a pattern needs a translated default heading, button label, or other authored sentence:
<?php
/**
* Title: Featured level
* Slug: arcade-blocks/featured-level
* Categories: arcade
*/
$heading = esc_html__( 'Featured level', 'arcade-blocks' );
$button = esc_html__( 'View level', 'arcade-blocks' );
?>
<!-- wp:heading -->
<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><?php echo $heading; ?></h2>
<!-- /wp:heading -->
<!-- wp:button -->
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link"><?php echo $button; ?></a></div>
<!-- /wp:button -->Use the escaping function that matches the eventual output. Keep the pattern metadata and the translatable sentence understandable to translators, and use the theme domain consistently.
Distinguish theme defaults from site content
Once a user inserts a pattern, its text may become ordinary post content that the user can edit. Internationalize the default authored text supplied by the theme; do not assume that user-written content should be translated by the theme. This distinction prevents a locale switch from unexpectedly replacing editorial content.
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Extract strings with WP-CLI
Create the POT catalog
From the project directory, run the WP-CLI i18n extraction command:
wp i18n make-pot ./ languages/arcade-blocks.potThe first path is the theme source and the second is the destination POT file. Adjust those paths to your directory layout, but retain the theme’s exact domain in the source calls. Review the generated catalog for missing strings, incorrect domains, and accidental developer-only text.
Review the extracted entries
Before handing the POT file to a translator, check that:
- PHP strings include the intended domain and any needed context.
- Plural entries contain both singular and plural source forms.
- JavaScript calls use imports from
@wordpress/i18nand the same domain. - Pattern PHP files are scanned and their strings appear in the catalog.
- Comments that explain placeholders or context are present where translators need them.
Extraction finds source strings; it does not translate them. A translator or localization workflow creates the locale-specific PO file from the POT template.
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WordPress’s JavaScript runtime consumes JED 1.x JSON files rather than a raw POT. Convert PO files with WP-CLI’s JSON command:
wp i18n make-json ./languages ./languagesUse the actual PO source and JSON destination directories in your project. The command creates locale-specific JSON catalogs from the PO files. Keep the generated files in version control when the theme ships its own translations, or generate them as part of the release process.
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Understand the generated filename
Script translation filenames encode the text domain, locale, and script identity. Depending on how the script is registered and how the files are generated, WordPress uses the documented domain-locale-handle or domain-locale-path-hash naming scheme. A JSON file with a correct translation but an incorrect handle, path, locale, or domain will not be associated with the script.
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Use WordPress.org language packs when the theme is distributed there
The WordPress.org distribution system can download language packs into wp-content/languages. For a directory-hosted theme, this is the normal route: the site language determines which pack is installed, and WordPress loads the theme’s translated PHP strings from the matching files.
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Users still need the site configured to the desired language, and the theme must use the exact slug-matching domain. A mismatch in either value prevents an otherwise valid catalog from being used.
Ship custom files in the theme’s language directory
For a custom distribution, place PO, MO, and generated JavaScript JSON files in the directory declared by Domain Path, or use the documented theme language-directory loading functions. Keep locale codes and filenames exactly as generated. If JavaScript files are outside the default location, pass that directory as the optional path to wp_set_script_translations().
PHP and JavaScript files are loaded separately. Seeing a translated heading rendered by PHP does not prove that an editor-side notice or inspector label has a working JSON catalog.
Test in a real target locale
Set the site language
- In the WordPress dashboard, open Settings and then General.
- Change Site Language to the locale you want to test and save the setting.
- Install or place the corresponding theme language files where WordPress can read them.
- Open the Site Editor and a front-end page that exercises the theme’s templates, patterns, and scripts.
Test with a locale whose grammar differs from English when possible. This exposes assumptions about word order, plural forms, text expansion, and context that an English-only check will miss.
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- View a front-end template containing PHP-translated headings, labels, and notices.
- Insert each translatable pattern into a new page and verify its default authored copy.
- Open the Site Editor and inspect every custom control, toolbar label, placeholder, and notice supplied by JavaScript.
- Exercise singular and plural states, including zero, one, and several items where the UI supports them.
- Inspect attributes and accessible names to ensure escaping did not remove or corrupt translated text.
Clear stale assets before diagnosing a failure
When a new JSON catalog appears not to load, ensure the updated script is being served and that the registered handle, locale, domain, and catalog filename agree. A browser or asset cache can preserve an older bundle, while a path or handle mismatch can make WordPress silently skip an otherwise correct file.
Common failures and precise fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| PHP text remains in English. | The string is hardcoded, uses a different domain, or the locale catalog is not installed. | Wrap the output in the correct PHP function, use the slug-matching domain, and verify the locale’s MO/language-pack file. |
| Editor labels remain in English while front-end text is translated. | The JavaScript JSON catalog is missing, the script lacks wp-i18n, or translations were not registered for the handle. |
Regenerate JSON with wp i18n make-json, declare the dependency, call wp_set_script_translations(), and check the filename and path. |
| A pattern’s heading never changes with the site language. | The copy is literal static markup or was saved as user content. | Move theme-authored text into a PHP pattern and wrap it in an i18n function; treat already-edited site content as editorial data. |
| Only one of two identical words translates correctly. | The source needs grammatical context. | Use _x() with distinct context values and regenerate the catalog. |
| Plural text is grammatically wrong. | Code concatenates a number or assumes English’s two-form rule. | Use _n() with the count and provide translators with complete singular and plural source strings. |
| Translations work in one locale but not another. | The locale-specific PO/JSON file is absent, misnamed, or stored in a directory WordPress does not scan. | Generate the target locale’s files, preserve the documented naming scheme, and verify the configured language and loading path. |
Choose the right implementation approach
| Decision | Use this when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| PHP i18n functions | The text is rendered on the server or assembled by a PHP pattern. | Works with PHP catalogs and normal theme loading, but cannot translate a string that exists only inside a separately loaded JavaScript bundle. |
@wordpress/i18n |
The text appears in editor controls, notices, or other JavaScript UI. | Requires the runtime dependency, script registration, and correctly named JSON catalogs. |
| Static block markup | The text is intended as fixed structure or user-editable content rather than a theme-owned sentence. | It does not provide a PHP translation hook for authored copy. |
| PHP pattern | A theme-authored pattern needs translated defaults. | Adds PHP to the pattern and requires the strings to be included in extraction. |
| WordPress.org language packs | The theme is distributed through WordPress.org. | Delivery is automatic for supported locales, but the theme must follow slug, domain, and catalog conventions. |
| Theme-shipped files | You control distribution or need a custom language directory. | You must package, name, update, and load the files correctly. |
Release checklist for a localized block theme
- The
Text Domainheader exactly matches the theme slug and uses lowercase kebab-case. Domain Pathis present when the theme ships translations in a custom directory.- Every user-facing PHP string uses an appropriate translation and escaping function.
- Ambiguous terms have context and count-dependent messages use plural APIs.
- JavaScript imports from
@wordpress/i18nand uses the same domain. - Registered JavaScript handles declare
wp-i18nbefore execution. wp_set_script_translations()runs for each translated script, with a custom path when needed.- PHP pattern files contain translation calls for theme-authored copy that static markup cannot localize.
wp i18n make-potoutput has been reviewed for missing or incorrectly attributed strings.- PO files have been converted with
wp i18n make-jsonfor JavaScript use. - Generated filenames follow the domain-locale-handle or domain-locale-path-hash convention.
- At least one target locale has been tested in the Site Editor and on the front end, including plural and contextual cases.
A block theme is ready for translation when its metadata, PHP, patterns, JavaScript, extraction process, and runtime loading all agree on the same domain and locale. Treat those pieces as one pipeline: declare the identity first, wrap strings where they execute, generate the catalogs, place them in the path WordPress scans, and verify the result with the site set to a real target language.
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