1.2 KiB
Tip #7 — Item-name localization
Date: 2026-06-18
Category: i18n
Source: MC-Survival Wiki Daily Tip (backfilled from state.json)
Note: Title was truncated in the original state.json log. Body matches the 'Search-Synonyms alias table' variant of the same idea.
Item-name localization
Extend the Item model with a localized name field (or a sidecar de_names.json map) so German players see 'Schwert' instead of 'Sword', and other locales get the same treatment. It solves the immersion-breaking problem of seeing English names throughout a German-language wiki, which is the single most-complained-about UI issue in German-speaking Minecraft communities. The signal is clear: vanilla Minecraft ships official translations for every item, and players expect the wiki to follow suit. The fallback-to-English behavior is important because it keeps English-only content readable while we incrementally translate.
Implementation tips
- Extend the Item model with a nameDe: String? field, seed with the official Minecraft de_de.json translations.
- In the UI, use the locale-aware name with fallback to the English canonical.
- Cheap path: keep a separate de_names.json map and look up at render time — no schema change.