handlebars-i18n

handlebars-i18n adds the internationalization features of i18next and Intl to handlebars.js.

Handlebars.js is a slim and convenient templating language but does not come up with build-in localization / internationalization features and is not in the list of i18next’s supported Frameworks. Handlebars-i18next.js bridges the gap. It is usable as node module as well as in browser.

License

Copyright © 2020 Florian Walzel,
MIT License

Install

$ npm install handlebars-i18n

Usage

Usage within node environment:

const HandlebarsI18n = require("handlebars-i18n");
HandlebarsI18n.init();

Usage in web browser:

<script src="handlebars.js"></script>
<script src="i18next.js"></script>
<script src="handlebars-i18n.js"></script>

<script>
    HandlebarsI18n.init()
</script>

Example

Initialize i18next with your language strings and default settings:

i18next.init({
	resources : {
        "en" : {
            translation : {
                "phrase1": "What is good?",
                "phrase2": "{{what}} is good."
            }
        },
        "de" : {
            translation: {
                "phrase1": "Was ist gut?",
                "phrase2": "{{what}} ist gut."
           }
        }
    },
    lng : "en"
});

Set your Handlebars.js data object:

let data = {
	myItem: "handlebars-i18n", 
	myPrice: 1200.99,
 	myDate: "2020-03-11T03:24:00"
}

Initialize handlebars-i18n:

HandlebarsI18n.init();

Optionally configure your language specific number, currency, and date-time defaults:

 HandlebarsI18n.configure([
 	["en", "PriceFormat", {currency: "USD"}],
	["de", "PriceFormat", {currency: "EUR"}]
]);

Finally use in template:

<p> {{__ "phrase1"}} </p>

• returns for “en” → What is good?undefined

<p> {{__ "phrase2" what=myItem}} </p>

• returns for “en” → handlebars-i18n is good.undefined

<p> {{_date myDate}} </p>

• returns for “en” → March 11, 2020, 4:24 AMundefined

<p> {{_price myPrice}} </p>

• returns for “en” → $1,200.99undefined

Also see the examples folder in the repo for more details.

API

__

Returns the phrase associated with the given key for the selected language. The key can be passed hard encoded in the template when written in quotes:

{{__ "keyToTranslationPhrase"}}

… or it can be referenced via a handlebars variable:

{{__ keyFromHandlebarsData}}

undefinedVariable Replacementundefined

Template usage:

{{__ "whatIsWhat" a="Everything" b="fine"}}

The i18next resource:

"en" : {
	translation : {
        "whatIsWhat": "{{a}} is {{b}}."
	}
},

undefinedPluralsundefined

{{__ "keyWithCount" count=8}}

'en' : {
	translation : {
   		'keyWithCount': '{{count}} item',
     	'keyWithCount_plural': '{{count}} items',
    }
},

---

_locale

Returns the shortcode of i18next’s currently selected language such as “en”, “de”, “fr”, “fi” … etc.

{{_locale}}

---

localeIs

Checks a string against i18next’s currently selected language. Returns true or false.

{{#if (localeIs "en")}} ... {{/if}}

---

_date

Outputs a formated date according to the language specific conventions.

{{_date}}

If called without argument the current date is returned. Any other input date can be passed as a conventional date string, a number (timestamp in milliseconds), or a javascript date array.

undefinedDate argument given as date string:undefined

{{_date "2020-03-11T03:24:00"}}

{{_date "December 17, 1995 03:24:00"}}

undefinedDate argument given as number (milliseconds since begin of unix epoch):undefined

{{_date 1583922952743}}

undefinedDate argument given as javascript date array:undefined

{{_date "[2012, 11, 20, 3, 0, 0]"}}

undefinedAdditional arguments for formatingundefined

You can add multiple arguments for individual formating. See Intl DateTimeFormat for your option arguments.

{{_date 1583922952743 year="2-digit" day="2-digit" timeZone="America/Los_Angeles"}}

---

_num

Outputs a formated number according to the language specific conventions of number representation, e.g. 4,100,000.8314 for “en”, but 4.100.000,8314 for “de”.

{{_num 4100000.8314 }}

undefinedAdditional arguments for formatingundefined

You can add multiple arguments for individual formating. See Intl NumberFormat for your option arguments.

{{_num 3.14159 maximumFractionDigits=2}}

---

_price

Outputs a formated currency string according to the language specific conventions of price representation, e.g. €9,999.99 for “en”, but 9.999,99 € for “de”.

{{_price 9999.99}}

undefinedAdditional arguments for formatingundefined

You can add multiple arguments for individual currency formating. See Intl NumberFormat for your option arguments.

{{_price 1000 currency="JPY" minimumFractionDigits=2}}

---

How to use HandlebarsI18n.configure method

Instead of defining the formating options for each date, number or price anew, you can configure global settings for all languages or only for specific languages.

 HandlebarsI18n.configure("en", "DateTimeFormat", {timeZone: "America/Los_Angeles"});

First argument is the language shortcode or “all” for all languages. Second is the format option you want to address (DateTimeFormat, NumberFormat, or PriceFormat). Third argument ist the options object with the specific settings.

The lookup cascade is:

• 1st Priority: The argument given in the template, e.g. {{_date timeZone="America/Los_Angeles"}}
• 2nd Priority: The global setting configured for the current language, such as “en”
• 3rd Priority: The global setting configured for all languages
• Default: The Intl default setting

undefinedExample:undefined

This defines that all prices for all languages are represented as Dollar:

 HandlebarsI18n.configure("all", "PriceFormat", {currency: "USD"});

This defines that all prices for all languages are represented as Dollar, but that for language French the currency is Euro:

 HandlebarsI18n.configure([
 	["all", "PriceFormat", {currency: "USD"}],
 	["fr", "PriceFormat", {currency: "EUR"}]
]);