# Managing Multiple Languages

Imagine you want to open your clothing shop not only to English-speaking customers but also to Korean ones. There are times when you want to show a single tumbler product as "Stainless Tumbler 500ml" in English and "스테인리스 텀블러 500ml" in Korean. It is the same tumbler, but only the words should change depending on the viewer's language.

This is what the multi-language feature is for. Instead of registering the product separately for each language, you keep the text for every language together in one tumbler *Content*. Visitors then receive the text that matches their language, and information that does not depend on language, such as the price or the photo, only needs to be managed once.

This page first looks at how multiple languages work, then walks you through setting things up so the tumbler's product name and detailed description are shown in Korean as well.

## Holding a Different Value per Language in One Box {#holding-a-different-value-per-language-in-one-box}

In WEEGLOO, a language is handled as a *Locale*. A *Locale* (the language used to show content, written down to the region, such as en-US for English and ko-KR for Korean) is set per *Space*. Once you add the two *Locale*s of English and Korean to the clothing shop *Space*, you can start filling in product information in both languages.

Among a *Space*'s several *Locale*s, one becomes the base *Locale*. The base *Locale* is this *Space*'s central language. For a clothing shop that started in an English-speaking market, the base *Locale* is usually English (en-US).

When you set a *Field* whose text differs by language, such as the product name, to be multi-language, that box becomes a box that holds a value per language. A single product name *Field* on the tumbler then holds the English value and the Korean value side by side.

| *Locale* | Product name | Detailed description |
|---|---|---|
| English (en-US, base) | Stainless Tumbler 500ml | Vacuum-insulated to keep drinks hot or cold for hours. 500ml. |
| Korean (ko-KR) | 스테인리스 텀블러 500ml | 이중 진공 단열로 보온, 보냉이 오래갑니다. 500ml 대용량. |

## How a Language Box You Did Not Fill In Appears {#how-a-language-box-you-did-not-fill-in-appears}

If you have not yet filled in a language value in a multi-language *Field*, what a visitor viewing in that language sees depends on **whether you have set a language to show instead** for that language (*Locale*). This "language to show instead" is called a *Fallback*.

- If you have not set a *Fallback*, that box goes out empty. If you did not write the Korean value for the tumbler's detailed description, that spot is delivered empty to Korean-speaking visitors.
- If you have set a *Fallback*, the value of the language you set goes out instead. For example, if you set the *Fallback* of Korean (ko-KR) to English (en-US), then when the Korean value is empty the English value is shown instead.

A *Fallback* does not have to be set to the base *Locale*. You can chain it to any other language you want, and you can also have it move step by step from one language to the next. You set a *Fallback* when you add or edit a *Locale* in the *Space*.

So far this is about "reading." Which language boxes you must fill in (the save rule) is a separate matter from *Fallback*, and is decided by that *Field*'s **required** setting. This is covered below in "What to Know After Setting Up."

## You Do Not Need to Make Every *Field* Multi-Language {#you-do-not-need-to-make-every-field-multi-language}

A *Field* whose value is the same across languages is not turned on for multiple languages. For the tumbler, the product name and detailed description are turned on for multiple languages, while the price and the main photo are not. The value stays the same even when the language changes.

- Boxes to turn on for multiple languages: product name, detailed description. The text must differ by language.
- Boxes not to turn on: price (`18000`), main photo. Even when a Korean customer views it, the price is still 18000 and the photo is still the same tumbler photo.

A *Field* not turned on for multiple languages is saved in just one box, the base *Locale*. So to make this value appear on other language screens too, you must set a *Fallback* for that language that chains to the base *Locale*. For example, if you did not turn on multiple languages for the price, you must set the *Fallback* of Korean (ko-KR) to English (the base) so the price appears on the Korean screen too. Without a *Fallback*, the price box appears empty on that language screen.

> Holding several values in one box ("use as a list type," for example several product photos) is different from multiple languages. A list gathers several values of the same kind, while multiple languages splits one value across languages.

## Adding a Language to the Space {#adding-a-language-to-the-space}

To fill in multiple languages, the *Space* must first have that language (*Locale*). Say you add Korean (ko-KR) to the clothing shop *Space*. Assume English (en-US) is already there as the base *Locale*.

1. Open the *Space* settings from the left menu and go to the *Locale* management screen.
2. Press the **+ Add** button at the top right to add Korean (ko-KR).
3. Set the *Fallback* of Korean (ko-KR) (the language to show instead when a value is empty) to English (en-US). Doing this fills the boxes where you left the Korean value empty, and the boxes not turned on for multiple languages (such as price), with the English value on the Korean screen. If you do not set it, those boxes appear empty on the Korean screen. Press the added Korean (ko-KR) again in the list to open the **Edit Locale** dialog. In the **Fallback Locale** dropdown, choose "English (United States) (en-US)" and press **Save**. (The **Add Locale** dialog that appears when you add Korean also has the same **Fallback Locale** item, so you can set it right while adding.)

![The "Edit Locale" dialog with "English (United States) (en-US)" selected in the Fallback Locale dropdown of the ko-KR Locale](/_img/en-US/getting-started/core-concepts/content/images/localization-04-locale-fallback.webp)
<!-- 캡쳐: "Locale 수정" 다이얼로그. Locale 코드 "ko-KR", Fallback Locale 드롭다운에 "English (United States) (en-US)" 선택됨. Locale 옵션 섹션에 "빈 Field로 Publish 허용", "기본 Locale로 설정" 체크박스. 파일: localization-04-locale-fallback.png -->

4. Check that the "English (United States) (en-US)" item in the list has a **Default** badge. This badge marks the base *Locale*.

![The screen showing the Space set up with two Locales, English and Korean, with English marked as the base](/_img/en-US/getting-started/core-concepts/content/images/localization-01-space-locales.webp)
<!-- 캡쳐: 설정 → Locale 목록 화면. "American English (en-US)"에 "Default" 배지가 붙고 "Korean (South Korea) (ko-KR)"가 함께 있는 상태(총 2개). 기준 표시 라벨은 영문 "Default" 배지로 확정. 파일: localization-01-space-locales.png -->

## Setting Product Information to Multiple Languages {#setting-product-information-to-multiple-languages}

Once the languages are ready, you decide which *Field*s to fill in per language. Turn on multiple languages for the tumbler's product name and detailed description. Leave the price and the main photo as they are.

How to create a *Field* for the first time is covered in [Content Modeling](/getting-started/core-concepts/content/content-modeling.md). Here we only look at the part where you open a product name *Field* you have already made and switch it to multiple languages.

1. Press *Content Type* in the left menu and open "Product".
2. Press the product name *Field* to open the **Configure Field** dialog.
3. On the **Settings** tab, turn on the **Enable localization for this Field** checkbox.
4. Press **Save**.
5. Turn on the same setting for the detailed description *Field* too.

![The screen showing the product name Field set to accept input in multiple languages](/_img/en-US/getting-started/core-concepts/content/images/localization-02-field-localized.webp)
<!-- 캡쳐: Content Type "Product"의 상품명(Product name) Field "Field 상세 설정" 다이얼로그(설정 탭). 토글 라벨은 "이 Field의 다국어 허용"으로 확정, 체크된 상태 + 도움말("이 Field는 Locale마다 다른 값을 입력할 수 있습니다. 현재 American English 외 1개의 Locale이 있습니다."). 파일: localization-02-field-localized.png -->

## Filling In the Tumbler in Korean Too {#filling-in-the-tumbler-in-korean-too}

Now when you open the tumbler *Content*, you can switch languages in the product name and detailed description boxes and enter values. The English value, which is the base *Locale*, was already filled in earlier.

1. Press *Content* in the left menu and open "Stainless Tumbler 500ml".
2. In the **Translation** section of the edit screen, press the dropdown on the right and choose **Korean (South Korea) (ko-KR)**. A ko-KR input box then appears side by side under each *Field* set to multiple languages.
3. In the ko-KR row of the product name box, enter `스테인리스 텀블러 500ml`.
4. In the ko-KR row of the detailed description box, enter the Korean description.
5. Press **Save** at the top right.
6. Publish the tumbler *Content*.

![The screen showing the tumbler Content with the input language switched to Korean and the Korean product name and description entered](/_img/en-US/getting-started/core-concepts/content/images/localization-03-content-en.webp)
<!-- 캡쳐: 텀블러 Content 편집 화면. "번역" 섹션의 보조 Locale 드롭다운에서 "Korean (South Korea) (ko-KR)"를 고르면, 상품명 칸이 en-US "Stainless Tumbler 500ml"(기준) + ko-KR "스테인리스 텀블러 500ml"(보조)로 나란히 표시된다. (캡쳐는 상품명 한 칸으로 이중 언어를 시연; 상세 설명도 같은 방식으로 한국어를 채운다.) 파일: localization-03-content-en.png -->

What Publish is and where you press it is covered in [Writing and Publishing Content](/getting-started/core-concepts/content/content-authoring.md). Once you publish, the Korean value goes out together to the external delivery. Korean-speaking visitors receive the Korean product name and description, and English-speaking visitors receive the English values. If you left one of the language values empty, then if you have set a *Fallback* for that language, the value of the language you set (for example English, the base) goes out instead, and if you have not set one, that spot goes out empty.

## Photos (Media) Are Held per Language Too {#photos-media-are-held-per-language-too}

Multiple languages is not a feature found only in *Content* such as products. Photos and files (*Media*) can also be held differently per language. For example, if the tumbler's main photo has the English phrase "Hot & Cold" printed on it, you can show Korean-speaking visitors a separate photo with a Korean phrase printed in the same spot. Not just the file, but a photo's title and description are also split per language.

The way you turn it on is different from *Content*. With *Content* you have to turn on multiple languages per *Field* (see "Setting Product Information to Multiple Languages" above), but *Media* is set up from the start to be held per language, so there is nothing to turn on separately. You open one *Media* and switch languages to enter each language's file, title, and description.

Handling of languages you did not fill in is the same as *Content*. If you leave a language empty, the value of the *Fallback* set for that language goes out instead, and if you have not set one, that spot goes out empty (see "How a Language Box You Did Not Fill In Appears" above).

The *Media* edit form has a **Translation** section. When you choose a language from the dropdown next to the base *Locale* chip ("en-US default"), the title box for that language appears. Choose en-US and ko-KR in turn and fill in the title (and that language's file).

![The translation section of the Media edit form, with the en-US title "Stainless Tumbler 500ml, front shot" and the ko-KR title "스테인리스 텀블러 500ml 정면 컷" entered side by side](/_img/en-US/getting-started/core-concepts/content/images/localization-05-media-localized.webp)
<!-- 캡쳐: Media 편집 폼 "번역" 섹션. "en-US default" 칩 + 드롭다운 "Korean (South Korea) (ko-KR)". 제목 라벨 en-US 칸(기준) = "Stainless Tumbler 500ml, front shot", ko-KR 칸(보조) = "스테인리스 텀블러 500ml 정면 컷". 파일: localization-05-media-localized.png -->

The basic way to upload a *Media* and connect it to *Content* is covered in [Media](/getting-started/core-concepts/content/media.md).

## What to Know After Setting Up {#what-to-know-after-setting-up}

**Whether you can leave it empty is decided by the *Field*'s required setting.** If you did not turn on a *Field* as **required** (the required Field in validation), that *Field* is saved left empty in every language. If you turned it on as required, you must fill in a value, and for a multi-language *Field* you must fill it in for each language the *Space* marks as required. The base *Locale* is usually required and must be filled in, while a language left optional may be left empty. Which languages you leave optional is decided in the *Locale* settings. The *Fallback* that fills an empty language box with another language's value is separate from this rule.

**A *Field* not turned on for multiple languages is saved just once, in the base *Locale*.** If you change the tumbler price to 16000, that one value changes. There is no need to manage it per language. However, for this value to appear on the Korean screen too, the *Fallback* of Korean (ko-KR) must chain to English (the base). Without a *Fallback*, this box appears empty on a non-base language screen (see "How a Language Box You Did Not Fill In Appears" above).

## What to Do Next {#what-to-do-next}

- [Content Modeling](/getting-started/core-concepts/content/content-modeling.md): covers the basic way to create a *Field* and decide its kind.
- [Writing and Publishing Content](/getting-started/core-concepts/content/content-authoring.md): covers how to create a tumbler *Content* and Publish it.
- [API Reference](/api/reference/cma.md): covers technical specifications such as the request format for entering per-language values directly in code and receiving a specific language from the external delivery.