Updated April 8, 2023
Difference between Localization and Internationalization
Localization
It can be defined as the methodology of turning the websites or the software the way which could endorse the features preferred by the localities. The components that are supposed to comply with the local features are language, design, date format, culture, and such things. It is mainly practiced to make the local users feel comfortable about using web applications or software.
It plays a vital role when any organization or business intends to reach the local people for expanding their business in the local areas. For illustration, let’s consider the very popular e-commerce website, Amazon. In order to serve people in India, they have made the option available for the users to switch to the local language. While at the festivals, they use festive banners accordingly to introduce sales and offers. This is how the businesses are doing the localization in order to expand their reach to the local people.
Internationalization
It can be defined as the process of localizing things globally. It can be considered as the aggregation of localization done for the local people. Similar to the components of Localization, it also consists of different languages, date formats, cultures, and things like this. It is supposed to be implemented when an organization wants to reach people to spread globally. To bring internationalization to real use, one has to do a lot of research as everything changes every mile in terms of culture, language, and so on.
For example, Facebook is one of the most used social media websites with millions of people as their overwhelmingly active users worldwide. That website has taken the process of internationalization to a different level. Even in India, it doesn’t just offer users to operate their website in Hindi but also lets them choose any among their sheer local language like Tamil, Bengali, etc. As they have done the localization in the same manner, it could be considered as the best example of internationalization.
Head to Head Comparison between Localization and Internationalization (Infographics)
Below are the top 7 differences between Localization vs Internationalization:
Key Differences between Localization and Internationalization
Let us discuss some of the major differences between Localization vs Internationalization:
- The local vendors or business who want to serve only the localities prefer the methodology of localization in their website or software, while the business that wants to reach people worldwide prefers
- The website that targets just a single area that is comparatively small in size as compared to the website that follows
- In localization, the language is supposed to be the same as that of only the local people, while in internationalization, the website is supposed to have local languages of several locations.
- The count of people that the localization process is intended to attract is very less than the number of people that a website follows the internationalization methodology.
- In internationalization, the software is expected to be comprised of a local cultural taste of several locations throughout the world, while in localization, the application is considered good if it only focuses on the culture of the particular.
- The time zone supported in the application adhering to localization can be single, but for the application that is adhering to internationalization has to support the date format and timezone of several countries or areas.
- Internationalization is most likely by the large organizations due to the sum of investment involved for research before implementing this methodology, while the small business with little investment is most likely to adhere to the localization.
Localization and Internationalization Comparison of Table
Let us discuss the topmost differences between Localization vs Internationalization:
| Localization | Internationalization |
| The focus on the local language only. The importance is given to the sheer local language. |
The focus of Local language globally The importance is given to the sheer local languages across the particular areas throughout the globe. |
| Endorse the Local culture only Only the local culture of a particular area is considered. |
Endorses Local cultures of areas worldwide. The local cultures of several areas across the world have to be considered. |
| Local Date format The date format has to be the same as that of the area. |
Local date format according to the native location The date format has to be similar as used in that particular area in the world. |
| Intended to cover only the local market Business who wants to have their reach to the particular area only opt for this. |
It intended to cover every local market of the world. Preferred by the organizations that want to cover all the local markets throughout the globe. |
| Preferred for limited reach This approach is effective when the business wants to reach limited people. |
Preferred for significant reach This approach is effective when the business wants to reach an abundant number of people. |
| Need Low Investment Implementing this methodology doesn’t require much investment to study the market as it will be comparatively small. |
Need high Investment A large amount is required for investment as the market has to be studied worldwide before implementing the methodology. |
| Adhered by Small businesses The business that operates on the local level is most likely to adopt this methodology. |
Adhered by large organizations The business that operates at an international level is most likely to adopt this methodology. |
Conclusion
- Contemporary applications, especially web application, are supposed to be more appealing than traditional ones. The very main feature of any application that lures people to use it is the local taste. People of any particular area preferred to use the application supporting the languages they use every day for written or verbal communication.
- Lastly, we discussed the case of the festival in the first section, which premises that local people’s culture plays a vital role in localization or internationalization.
- Overall, adopting either of the methodologies is all about the business requirement. If the business or organization wants to reach people all across the world, they are more likely to go with internationalization.
- For the local business whose products are there just to serve the locals-only can definitely opt for localization. In the actual term, their methodologies are being introduced to meet the business requirements and have to be chosen carefully to serve the customers.
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