generalinformation-404608-localization-localization.md
Localization allows you to translate DevExpress UI controls and components into different languages. From straightforward localization with pre-built satellite resource assemblies to manual translation of the UI, DevExpress Subscriptions include everything you need to quickly develop multicultural enterprise applications and websites.
You can use the following tools to manage translations:
Important
With the release of the Localization Tool, Localization Service and Localization UI Client utilities are in maintenance mode.
Until we ensure that the Localization Tool addresses most existing customer needs effectively, the UI Localization Service will remain available, and you can use it to modify translation resources.
UI Localization Client and product-specific localization utilities like XAF’s Localization Tool will be deprecated as redundant.
The following table lists differences between the tools:
|
Comparison
Aspects
|
Localization Tool
|
Localization Service (Maintenance mode)
|
Localization UI Client (Maintenance mode)
| | --- | --- | --- | --- | |
Location
|
|
|
Visual Studio (part of the .NET installer)
| |
Availability
|
Open Source (full source code is available – you can create you own tools based on localization resources)
|
Closed Source (proprietary)
|
Closed Source (proprietary)
| |
Platform/OS
|
Desktop (Windows)
|
Web (any browser for Windows, macOS, Linux, etc.)
|
Desktop (Windows)
| |
Supported
DevExpress
Products
|
WinForms, WPF
Blazor, ASP.NET MVC 5, WebForms
Reporting, BI Dashboard
XAF (WinForms/Blazor)
ASP.NET Core (RichEdit, Spreadsheet only)
To be implemented: JS/TS, VCL, .NET MAUI
|
WinForms, WPF
Blazor, ASP.NET MVC 5, WebForms
Reporting, BI Dashboard
XAF (WinForms/Blazor)
|
WinForms, WPF
Blazor, ASP.NET MVC 5, WebForms
Reporting, BI Dashboard
| |
Supported
Cultures
|
All
|
All
|
All
| |
Access to
Localization
Strings
|
All strings
|
All strings
|
Only strings used in the current application
| |
Access to
Source
Resources
|
Yes
|
Yes (but cannot be easily modified and require delayed signing for satellite assemblies)
|
No
| |
Supported
Export
Types
|
Satellite assemblies (*.resources.dll)
Single or merged RESX file
Multiple or source RESX files
NuGet packages (*.nupkg)
|
Satellite assemblies (*.resources.dll)
NuGet packages (*.nupkg) only for DE, ES, JA
|
Single/merged RESX file
| |
Efficient Data
Navigation
and Shaping
|
Yes (advanced filtering, sorting, grouping, search, and other capabilities powered by the WinForms Grid Control + keyboard shortcut support)
|
No (only basic filtering capabilities)
|
No (only basic capabilities)
| |
Migration
between
DevExpress
Versions
|
Yes (automatic)
|
Yes (manual)
|
No
| |
Translation
Context
|
Yes (comments)
To be implemented: part of speech, gender, number, case, etc.
|
No
|
No
| |
External
Collaboration
Support
|
Yes (multiple translators can split localization tasks and then merge changes into the main database)
|
No
|
No
| |
Version Control,
Rollback, Backup
|
Yes (advanced, with built-in database update, merge, backup)
|
Yes (basic)
|
No
| |
Automated
Machine
Translation
|
Yes (advanced, AI prompt-based, powered by an LLM of your choice)
|
Yes (basic Microsoft Bing Translator)
|
No
| |
Bulk String
Translation
|
Supports simultaneous translation of multiple identical strings
|
No
|
No
| |
Data Validation
|
Yes (diagnostic logs and built-in unique value validation, grouping for consistent translations among products)
|
No
|
No
|
I translated components with the new Localization Tool. How do I reuse or migrate translations when a new version is out?
Can I reuse my custom translations from the localization.devexpress.com web service in the new Localization Tool?
I am on macOS/Linux, but your tool is Windows-based. Do you have an alternative?
Does the new Localization Tool support DevExtreme (JS/TS), .NET MAUI, or VCL (Delphi/C++ Builder) application localization?
What is your translation coverage for different languages/cultures?
DevExpress controls can be localized using satellite resource assemblies. DevExpress delivers satellite assemblies for a large variety of languages and cultures.
DevExpress Unified Component Installer includes an option to install community-sourced localized resources for certain languages: German (DE), Japanese (JA), and Spanish (ES).
With v22.2+, these resources are not installed by default. The Unified Component Installer does not add “de”, “ja”, and “es” community-sourced localized assemblies to the Global Assembly Cache (GAC). You can install them at your discretion:
Run the Unified Component Installer in “Modify” mode.
Enable the Community-Sourced Localization (for de, es, ja) option.
Click Next.
Click Accept & Continue.
You can find localized resources in the following folders:
C:\Program Files\DevExpress 25.2\Components\Bin\Framework (for a 64-bit Windows OS)
C:\Program Files\DevExpress 25.2\Components\Bin\NetCore (for a 64-bit Windows OS)
To store localized satellite assemblies in the version control system, do the following:
See the following topics for platform-specific information:
Tip
Use DevExpress Online Localization Service to modify our shipped resources or create satellite assemblies for a different language.
If you publish your project (for example, WinForms) as a single-file application (see Single-file deployment), you need to use the solution described in the Store Localized Resources in a Version Control System section to localize your application. Otherwise, your single-file application will not be able to resolve satellite assemblies (even if you put them in the correct subdirectories after you publish the application).
DevExpress controls use Localizer objects to obtain strings for UI elements. Localization-related APIs (Localizer objects) take priority over satellite resource assemblies.
You can create custom localizer objects for specific UI controls or use the global XtraLocalizer class to localize all DevExpress UI controls in your application.
See the following topics for platform-specific information: