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Localization System

NotchTerminal supports multiple languages with automatic system detection and manual override capability.

Supported Languages

Code Language Status
en English Default
es Spanish ✅
fr French ✅
ja Japanese ✅
zh-Hans Simplified Chinese ✅

How It Works

1. System Language Detection

By default, NotchTerminal automatically detects the system language using:

let preferredLanguages = Locale.preferredLanguages

If the system language is not supported, it falls back to English (en).

2. User Override

Users can manually select their preferred language in Settings → General → Language:

  • System Default: Uses the system's language setting
  • Manual Selection: Choose from available languages (English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Simplified Chinese)

The user's selection is stored in UserDefaults with the key userLanguageOverride.

Architecture

LanguageManager

Located in NotchTerminal/Services/LanguageManager.swift:

@Observable
@MainActor
final class LanguageManager: ObservableObject {
    static let shared = LanguageManager()
    
    var currentLanguage: String { ... }
    var systemLanguage: String { ... }
    var userHasSelectedLanguage: Bool { ... }
    
    func setLanguage(_ languageCode: String) { ... }
    func resetToSystemLanguage() { ... }
    func displayName(for languageCode: String) -> String { ... }
}

Key Features

  1. Singleton Pattern: LanguageManager.shared provides global access
  2. Auto-detection: Reads from Locale.preferredLanguages
  3. Persistence: User preference saved in UserDefaults
  4. Reactive Updates: Uses @Observable for SwiftUI integration

Adding New Languages

1. Update LanguageManager

Add the new language code to supportedLanguageCodes:

private let supportedLanguageCodes = ["en", "es", "fr", "ja", "zh-Hans", "de"] // Add "de" for German

2. Create Localization File

Create a new .lproj folder and Localizable.strings file:

mkdir NotchTerminal/NotchTerminal/de.lproj

3. Add Translations

Copy en.lproj/Localizable.strings and translate all keys:

/* General */
"app.name" = "NotchTerminal";
"settings.general" = "General";
/* ... */

Using Localized Strings

In SwiftUI Views

Text("settings.general".localized)

In Code

let title = NSLocalizedString("settings.general", bundle: .main, value: "settings.general", comment: "")

With Language Override

let title = "settings.general".localized(in: "es") // Returns Spanish version

File Structure

NotchTerminal/
├── Services/
│   └── LanguageManager.swift     # Language detection & management
├── en.lproj/
│   └── Localizable.strings      # English (default)
├── es.lproj/
│   └── Localizable.strings      # Spanish
├── fr.lproj/
│   └── Localizable.strings      # French
├── ja.lproj/
│   └── Localizable.strings      # Japanese
├── zh-Hans.lproj/
│   └── Localizable.strings      # Simplified Chinese
└── Settings/
    └── SettingsView.swift       # Language picker UI

Configuration

UserDefaults Keys

Key Type Description
userLanguageOverride String? User-selected language code (nil = system default)

Notes

  • Language changes take effect immediately in the Settings UI
  • Some UI elements may require app restart for full effect
  • The system language is read at runtime, not compile time
  • Fallback to English for any missing translations