How to create multilingual support in Bubble.io: Step-by-Step Guide

Creating Multilingual Support in Bubble.io

 

Building multilingual support in a Bubble.io application requires careful planning in order to ensure that users can easily switch between languages. This guide will walk you through the complete process, step-by-step, leveraging Bubble’s built-in features to create a seamless multilingual experience.

 

Prerequisites

 

• A Bubble.io account with an existing project you wish to add multilingual support to.
• An understanding of Bubble’s data types, workflows, and element properties.
• A list of all the languages you wish to support in your application.
• Preparation of translations for each section of your app available in multiple languages.

 

Understanding Bubble’s Translation Features

 

• Bubble.io allows apps to support multiple languages by using its built-in features such as "Languages" and dynamic content.
• Translation can be applied to static text elements, workflows, and data-driven content.

 

Setting Up Language Options in Bubble.io

 

• Navigate to your app in Bubble.io.
• Go to the "Settings" tab and select the "Languages" tab.
• Click on "Add another language" to add all the languages you intend to support.

 

Defining Translatable Texts

 

• Go to "Data" and under "App Data," create a new data type such as "Translations" to store all static texts in different languages.
• Add fields to this data type: a text field for each language and a unique key to identify the text (e.g., "app_home_welcome").
• Populate this data type with all the texts you want to make translatable across your app, organized by keys.

 

Implementing Dynamic Content for Multilingual Support

 

• On each page or reusable element, replace static text elements with dynamic expressions that pull data from your "Translations" data type.
• Use the "Search for" functionality in text elements to find the appropriate text based on the user's selected language.
• e.g., `Search for Translations:first item' Do:Find text with key = app_home_welcome' and return the field for the selected language`.

 

Creating a Language Selection Mechanism

 

• Add a dropdown or button to your app’s user interface allowing users to select their preferred language.
• Create a custom state to store the selected language (e.g., `currentLanguage`).
• Set up workflows to update the language custom state whenever the user changes the language selection.
• Re-use this state to condition the dynamic content expressions throughout your application.

 

Handling User-Generated Content

 

• If your application allows user-generated content that needs translation, consider integrating a translation API service with Bubble’s plugin system.
• Create a workflow to call the translation API whenever new content is posted, storing the translated content in your database.
• Ensure the translations are stored appropriately within your "User Content" data type, using fields named by language.

 

Testing and Evaluating Multilingual Support

 

• Utilize Bubble’s preview function to test the multilingual features across different pages and components.
• Switch between languages to verify that all static and dynamic content adjusts according to the selected language.
• Ensure consistent performance and that all user interface elements appropriately respond to language changes.

 

Deploying Your Multilingual Application

 

• Upon successful testing, you can deploy your application, ensuring that your app's multilingual capabilities are adequately reflected in all environments.
• Monitor user feedback to catch any language inconsistencies or bugs that may arise post-launch.

 

By following these steps, you'll be able to successfully implement multilingual support in your Bubble.io application, ensuring that it reaches a broader audience and provides a more inclusive user experience. This approach enables you to manage multiple languages efficiently within your app ecosystem.