How to use localization to build multi-language apps in Laravel

Create directories such as resources/lang/en and resources/lang/es and define messages.php language files; 2. Set the default language locale and alternate language fallback_locale in config/app.php; 3. Use App::setLocale() to dynamically switch languages, and combine middleware to automatically set them according to session or request headers; 4. Add {locale} prefix to route packets to implement multilingual URLs, and generate localized links in templates; 5. Use the __() function or @lang directive to call translation in controllers and views, supporting the plural form via trans_choice; 6. Optionally use the Artisan command or third-party package to manage translation; 7. In production environments, performance can be improved through cache configuration; by reasonably organizing language files, early detection of user language preferences, and providing switching mechanisms, combining middleware and routing packets, a clear multilingual application experience can be built.

Building multi-language apps in Laravel is straightforward when you use Laravel's built-in localization features. With proper localization setup, you can serve content in multiple languages ​​based on user preferences or system settings. Here's how to use localization effectively in Laravel to build multi-language applications.

1. Set Up Language Files

Laravel stores language strings in the resources/lang directory. Each language has its own subdirectory (eg, en , es , fr ). Start by creating these folders and defining language files as PHP arrays.

For example:

 /resources
    /lang
        /en
            messages.php
        /es
            messages.php

In /resources/lang/en/messages.php :

 <?php

Return [
    &#39;welcome&#39; => &#39;Welcome to our application&#39;,
    &#39;profile&#39; => &#39;User Profile&#39;,
];

In /resources/lang/es/messages.php :

 <?php

Return [
    &#39;welcome&#39; => &#39;Bienvenido a nuestra aplicación&#39;,
    &#39;profile&#39; => &#39;Perfil de usuario&#39;,
];

You can now access these strings using the __() helper or the @lang Blade directive.

 echo __('messages.welcome'); // Outputs: Welcome to our application

In Blade:

 <h1>@lang(&#39;messages.welcome&#39;)</h1>

2. Configure the Default and Supported Languages

In config/app.php , set your default locale:

 'locale' => 'en',
'fallback_locale' => 'en',

You can support additional languages ​​by simply adding more language directories under resources/lang .

To allow dynamic switching, you'll need to store or detect the user's preferred language. Common approaches include:

• URL segments (eg, /es/dashboard )
• Session-based preference
• User profile setting
• Browser Accept-Language header

3. Switch Languages ​​Dynamically

To change the app language at runtime, use the App::setLocale() method.

For example, in a middleware or controller:

 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\App;

Route::get('/language/{locale}', function ($locale) {
    if (in_array($locale, ['en', 'es', 'fr'])) {
        app()->setLocale($locale);
        session()->put('locale', $locale);
    }

    return redirect()->back();
});

You can also create a middleware to set the locale on every request:

 // app/Http/Middleware/SetLocale.php

class SetLocale
{
    public function handle($request, $next)
    {
        $locale = session('locale') ?? $request->getPreferredLanguage(['en', 'es', 'fr']);

        app()->setLocale($locale);

        return $next($request);
    }
}

Register the middleware in app/Http/Kernel.php under web .

4. Use Language-Specific Routes and URLs

To include the language in URLs, group routes with a locale prefix:

 Route::group(['prefix' => '{locale}', 'middleware' => 'setLocale'], function () {
    Route::get('/dashboard', [DashboardController::class, 'index']);
    Route::get('/profile', [ProfileController::class, 'show']);
});

In your Blade templates, generate localized URLs:

 <a href="{{ route(&#39;dashboard&#39;, [&#39;locale&#39; => &#39;es&#39;]) }}">Ir al panel</a>

Make sure to handle the {locale} parameter in your controllers or use a base controller to manage it.

5. Handle Translations in Views and Controllers

Use the __() function anywhere in your code:

 // In a controller
return view('dashboard', [
    'title' => __('messages.profile')
]);

// In validation messages
$validated = $request->validate([
    'email' => 'required|email'
], [
    'email.required' => __('validation.email_required')
]);

For pluralization, Laravel supports it via language files:

 // resources/lang/en/messages.php
'comments' => '{0} No comments|{1} One comment|[2,*] :count comments',

// Usage
echo trans_choice('messages.comments', $count);

6. Use Artisan to Manage Translations (Optional)

Laravel doesn't include a built-in translation manager, but you can create commands or use packages like laravel-lang/lang or astrotomic/laravel-translatable for advanced needs.

For simple apps, manually managing language files is sufficient.

7. Cache Translations in Production

In production, you can cache your language files for better performance:

 php artisan config:cache

Note: Translation files aren't cached by default, but you can use packages or build a custom solution if needed.

Using Laravel's localization system makes it easy to support multiple languages. Focus on organizing language files clearly, detecting user language early, and providing a way to switch languages. With middleware and route grouping, you can build a clean, localized user experience.

Basically, it's not complex—just consistent file structure and smart locale switching.

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