i18next

Learn the i18next library.

The i18next library

i18next is the most common i18n library for React Native. The i18next core and the react-i18next binder are used together. The core handles language management; the binder integrates with React.

Install: npm install i18next react-i18next. Then you initialize with i18next.init(). This call takes translation files and a default language. react-i18next also provides the useTranslation hook; this hook gives the t function inside components. This way each component calls its own translation; no prop drilling needed.

The init configuration

i18next.init() takes a config object. Core fields: resources (translation files), lng (default language), fallbackLng (fallback when a translation is missing).

Example: i18next.init({ resources: { en: { translation: { hello: 'Hello' } } }, lng: 'en', fallbackLng: 'en' }). Here resources carries the translation table for each language. lng picks the language used at launch. fallbackLng says which language to fall back to when a key is not translated. These three fields are the base of the i18n setup.

Exercise Initialize i18next

Write an i18next.init() call. The resources field has an en language with a translation section carrying hello: 'Hello'. Set lng and fallbackLng to 'en'.

Show example solution

import i18next from 'i18next';

i18next.init({
  resources: {
    en: { translation: { hello: 'Hello' } }
  },
  lng: 'en',
  fallbackLng: 'en'
});

Test yourself

i18next initialization

i18next.____(config);

Show answer

i18next.init(config);

What does fallbackLng do?
```
fallbackLng: 'en'
```
- Package name
- Default font
- Screen color
- Fallback when a translation is missing
Show answer

Fallback when a translation is missing — fallbackLng is the language used when a key is not found.
Match each field to its role

resources

Translation table
lng

Default language
fallbackLng

Backup language
init

Init method

Next lesson: Translation files

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