b2c-localization skill

---
name: b2c-localization
description: Localize templates, forms, and content in B2C Commerce. Use when adding translations, working with resource bundles (*.properties files), using Resource.msg, or implementing multi-locale support. Covers locale folders, string externalization, and date/currency formatting.
---

# Localization Skill

This skill guides you through localizing B2C Commerce storefronts for multiple languages and regions.

## Overview

B2C Commerce supports localization through:

| Component | Approach |
|-----------|----------|
| **Templates** | Single template set + resource bundles |
| **Forms** | Shared definitions + locale-specific labels |
| **Static content** | Locale-specific folders |
| **Product data** | Localizable attributes |

## Locale Format

Locales follow ISO standards: `{language}_{country}`

| Format | Example | Description |
|--------|---------|-------------|
| `en` | English | Language only |
| `en_US` | English/USA | Language + country |
| `fr_CA` | French/Canada | Language + country |
| `de_DE` | German/Germany | Language + country |

## Resource Bundles

### Directory Structure

```
/cartridge
    /templates
        /resources
            account.properties          # Default (English)
            checkout.properties
            /fr
                account.properties      # French
                checkout.properties
            /de
                account.properties      # German
                checkout.properties
            /fr_CA
                account.properties      # French Canadian
```

### Property File Format

**account.properties (default):**
```properties
##############################################
# Account Pages
##############################################
account.title=My Account
account.greeting=Welcome back
account.logout=Sign Out

# Account Dashboard
dashboard.title=Dashboard
dashboard.orders=Order History
dashboard.addresses=Address Book
dashboard.wishlist=Wishlist

# Profile
profile.title=Profile
profile.firstName=First Name
profile.lastName=Last Name
profile.email=Email Address
profile.save=Save Changes
```

**account_fr.properties (French):**
```properties
account.title=Mon compte
account.greeting=Bon retour
account.logout=Se déconnecter

dashboard.title=Tableau de bord
dashboard.orders=Historique des commandes
dashboard.addresses=Carnet d'adresses
dashboard.wishlist=Liste de souhaits

profile.title=Profil
profile.firstName=Prénom
profile.lastName=Nom
profile.email=Adresse e-mail
profile.save=Enregistrer les modifications
```

### Using Resources in Templates

```html
<!-- Simple message -->
<h1>${Resource.msg('account.title', 'account', null)}</h1>

<!-- With fallback -->
<p>${Resource.msg('account.greeting', 'account', 'Welcome')}</p>

<!-- With parameters -->
<p>${Resource.msgf('cart.items', 'cart', null, cartCount)}</p>
```

**Resource.msg() parameters:**
1. Key name
2. Bundle name (filename without extension)
3. Default value (null = use key if not found)

### Parameterized Messages

**Property:**
```properties
cart.itemCount=You have {0} items in your cart
greeting.personalized=Hello, {0} {1}!
order.confirmation=Order #{0} placed on {1}
```

**Template:**
```html
${Resource.msgf('cart.itemCount', 'cart', null, itemCount)}
${Resource.msgf('greeting.personalized', 'common', null, firstName, lastName)}
```

## Locale Fallback

B2C Commerce uses a fallback chain: `fr_CA` → `fr` → `default`

**Example:** Requesting `fr_CA`:
1. Look in `/resources/fr_CA/account.properties`
2. If not found, look in `/resources/fr/account.properties`
3. If not found, look in `/resources/account.properties`

## Static Files

### Directory Structure

```
/cartridge
    /static
        /default
            /css
                style.css
            /images
                logo.png
                buttons/
                    submit.png
            /js
                main.js
        /fr
            /images
                buttons/
                    submit.png      # French text on button
        /de
            /images
                buttons/
                    submit.png      # German text on button
```

### Referencing Static Files

```html
<!-- Uses locale-specific version if available -->
<img src="${URLUtils.staticURL('/images/buttons/submit.png')}" alt="Submit"/>

<!-- CSS (usually not localized) -->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="${URLUtils.staticURL('/css/style.css')}"/>
```

## Forms Localization

### Form Definition

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<form xmlns="http://www.demandware.com/xml/form/2008-04-19">
    <field formid="email" label="form.email.label" type="string"
           mandatory="true"
           missing-error="form.email.required"
           parse-error="form.email.invalid"/>
</form>
```

### Resource Bundle

**forms.properties:**
```properties
form.email.label=Email Address
form.email.required=Email is required
form.email.invalid=Please enter a valid email address
```

**forms_fr.properties:**
```properties
form.email.label=Adresse e-mail
form.email.required=L'email est requis
form.email.invalid=Veuillez entrer une adresse e-mail valide
```

## URL Localization

### Locale-Aware URLs

```html
<!-- Current locale URL -->
<a href="${URLUtils.url('Product-Show', 'pid', 'ABC123')}">View Product</a>

<!-- Specific locale URL -->
<a href="${URLUtils.url(new URLAction('Product-Show', 'MySite', 'fr'))}">
    Voir le produit
</a>
```

### Language Switcher

```html
<isscript>
    var Site = require('dw/system/Site');
    var URLAction = require('dw/web/URLAction');
    var URLUtils = require('dw/web/URLUtils');
    var Locale = require('dw/util/Locale');
</isscript>

<ul class="language-switcher">
    <isloop items="${Site.current.allowedLocales}" var="localeId">
        <isscript>
            var locale = new Locale(localeId);
            var url = URLUtils.url(new URLAction('Home-Show', Site.current.ID, localeId));
        </isscript>
        <li class="${request.locale == localeId ? 'active' : ''}">
            <a href="${url}">${locale.displayLanguage}</a>
        </li>
    </isloop>
</ul>
```

## Controller Localization

### Accessing Current Locale

```javascript
var Locale = require('dw/util/Locale');

server.get('Show', function (req, res, next) {
    var currentLocale = Locale.getLocale(req.locale.id);

    res.render('mytemplate', {
        locale: req.locale.id,
        language: currentLocale.language,
        country: currentLocale.country,
        displayLanguage: currentLocale.displayLanguage,
        displayCountry: currentLocale.displayCountry
    });
    next();
});
```

### Locale-Specific Logic

```javascript
server.get('Checkout', function (req, res, next) {
    var locale = req.locale.id;

    // Locale-specific date format
    var dateFormat = locale.startsWith('en_US') ? 'MM/dd/yyyy' : 'dd/MM/yyyy';

    // Locale-specific content
    var termsContentId = 'terms-' + locale.replace('_', '-').toLowerCase();

    res.render('checkout', {
        dateFormat: dateFormat,
        termsContentId: termsContentId
    });
    next();
});
```

## Email Templates

### Setting Locale

```javascript
var Template = require('dw/util/Template');
var HashMap = require('dw/util/HashMap');
var Mail = require('dw/net/Mail');

function sendOrderConfirmation(order, locale) {
    var template = new Template('mail/orderconfirmation', locale);
    var model = new HashMap();
    model.put('order', order);

    var content = template.render(model).text;

    var mail = new Mail();
    mail.addTo(order.customerEmail);
    mail.setFrom('[email protected]');
    mail.setSubject(Resource.msg('email.order.subject', 'email', null));
    mail.setContent(content, 'text/html', 'UTF-8');
    mail.send();
}
```

## Currency Formatting

Currency is tied to locale:

```javascript
var Money = require('dw/value/Money');
var StringUtils = require('dw/util/StringUtils');

// Format with locale
var price = new Money(99.99, 'USD');
var formatted = StringUtils.formatMoney(price);  // Uses current locale

// In template
<isprint value="${product.priceModel.price}" style="CURRENCY"/>
```

## Date Formatting

```javascript
var StringUtils = require('dw/util/StringUtils');
var Calendar = require('dw/util/Calendar');

var date = new Calendar();
var formatted = StringUtils.formatCalendar(date, 'yyyy-MM-dd');  // ISO format
var localized = StringUtils.formatCalendar(date, 'MMMM d, yyyy');  // Locale-aware
```

## Best Practices

1. **Use UTF-8** for all property files (required for non-ASCII characters)
2. **Organize bundles by page/feature** not by language
3. **Keep keys descriptive** - `account.profile.firstName` not `label1`
4. **Use parameters** for dynamic values - don't concatenate strings
5. **Test all locales** - ensure fallback works correctly
6. **Don't hardcode text** in templates or scripts

## Detailed Reference

- [Localization Patterns](references/PATTERNS.md) - Complete patterns and examples