Translation Handling Initiative

Summary

The main goal of this initiative is to simplify, improve and professionalize the process of translation in TYPO3 for all user groups. These groups include editors, integrators, developers, translators and others affected by this.

When developing and implementing ideas for this initiative, we make a point of ensuring that already established solutions are only changed within the framework of TYPO3’s backwards compatibility and deprecation policy.

Since we are aware that changes in this complex area cannot be managed by the core team alone, we see ourselves as a workbench and extended arm of the core team with a focus on the translation processes in TYPO3.

Background

The idea for this initiative was born during a session “Translation Handling rethought” at the TYPO3 Camp Mitteldeutschland 2022.

Subsequently, there was a workshop and a presentation at the Developer Days 2022, in which the feedback of the community with regard to translations in TYPO3 was collected, evaluated and weighted.

Based on the results, similar events were held at the TYPO3 Camps RheinRuhr, Mitteldeutschland, Berlin-Brandenburg, Hamburg and Munich. In addition, corresponding discussions took place online in the user groups and at the Developer Days 2023.

With the data collected in this way, we intend to conduct a detailed survey within the target groups during the founding phase of the initiative, in order to obtain more concrete information beyond the limited scope of the TYPO3 events and the “usual suspects” attending those events.

Based on this verified information, we then will put together individual work packages that will contribute in the medium to long term to improving translation handling for the benefit of all TYPO3 users.

Goals

General goals

Continuous communication and cooperation with the TYPO3 community as well as
coordination with the TYPO3 core team to gather feedback and make adjustments.
Presence of representatives of the initiative at as many relevant TYPO3 events as possible.
Continuous documentation of the status achieved

Short-term goals

Formation of a core team of at least 3 people with expertise in TYP03, translation management and project management.
Documentation of the current status based on the results of data collection to date
Develop a survey to collect and evaluate ideas from the community to identify promising solutions.
Identifying specialized individuals to implement these solutions in appropriate teams.
Establishing goals, milestones, and timelines for each team.
Attracting funding partners for the work of the initiative, individual teams, or individuals.

Mid-term goals

Coordinate resources in collaboration with Core team and funding partners.
Develop and implement prototypes for the targeted changes.
Test and evaluate prototypes with respect to the original objective, particularly with respect to performance, scalability, and usability.
Streamline and fix the current way of translation handling regarding the list of bug reports that we collected during the documentation phase.
Provide interim solutions to enable people to work with the current often buggy state, without making the state of the database worse with own workarounds

Long-term goals

Successful implementation of the various ideas and integration of the new functions into the TYP03 core.
Improve documentation on how to handle translations in TYP03 and all implemented innovations.
Continuous improvement and adaptation of the translation mechanisms based on user feedback and evolving requirements.
Sustained collaboration with the TYP03 community and other stakeholders to optimize translation management in the long term and address current challenges

Scope

This initiative is about how to deal with translations when working with TYP03 database entries during the daily work with the CMS. It might at some point overlap with the work of the translation team that provides language labels and other translations for TYP03 CMS and TYP03 Extensions, but that is a topic outside the scope of this initiative.

Timing

Detailed timelines for achieving the short-, medium- and long-term goals should be developed with the people who will participate in the short-term phase as active members of this initiative.

A rough estimate for “short term” would be the release of TYPO3 CMS 13, which is about half a year, “medium term” would include TYPO3 CMS 14 and 15, which would take another three years, while “long term” would mean TYPO3 versions >= 16, so that the final goals could be achieved within the next five years.