correct linking to language files

[hekla]

When looking at J5 extensions and how they handle language file linking, I find different approaches:

In Akeeba Backup, for example, I find:

Code: Select all

<files folder="frontend">
	<folder>language</folder>
	<folder>src</folder>
</files>
<languages folder="frontend">
	<language tag="en-GB">language/en-GB/com_akeebabackup.ini</language>
</languages>

in Joomla 6alpha:

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<languages>
	<language tag="en-GB">language/en-GB/plg_finder_content.ini</language>
	<language tag="en-GB">language/en-GB/plg_finder_content.sys.ini</language>
</languages>

Regularlabs:

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<languages folder="language">
	<language tag="en-GB">en-GB/en-GB.pkg_regularlabs.sys.ini</language>
</languages>

My questions are:

1) What is the best practice for linking language files?

• <folder>language</folder>
• <language tag="en-GB">language/en-GB/plg_finder_content.ini</language>
• or both ways above

2) How should the INI files be named - with or without the language code?

• en-GB.pkg_extension.ini
• pkg_extension.ini

I also need to consider language overrides to ensure they continue working.

[pe7er]

Installing extension with language files via the .xml manifest

<files folder="frontend">
<folder>language</folder>
<folder>src</folder>
</files>
will copy the complete folder with all languages to your extension folder.
If you install a language later in Joomla, and that language is in your extension's /languge/ folder, then it will be available immediately.
This is what I always do.

<languages folder="language">
<language tag="en-GB">language/en-GB/plg_finder_content.ini</language>
</languages>
will copy the language file to Joomla's /language/en-GB/ where it will reside within all Joomla's language files (which are lot!).
However, if you install another language later in Joomla, then you'll have to reinstall your extension to install its language file.
I don't use this method because I like to keep my language files with my own extension (which is easier to manage).

Naming the language files
In the past the language files would include the language code, like
en-GB.pkg_extension.ini

Since Joomla 4 (possibly earlier with a Joomla 3) you can leave out the language code like
pkg_extension.ini
because its in the folder already. This is what I use.

So I recommend to only use <folder>language</folder> (and not use the <languages> tag)
and language files without the language code prefix, like pkg_extension.ini

[SharkyKZ]

Joomla always looks for language files in global language directory first so using <languages> tag is faster. Using files without language prefix is only supported since 3.10 and is also prioritized on 4.0+.

[hekla]

Thank you, Peter for you detailed explanations and SharkyKZ for your addition.

What about the overrides?
Is there a difference depending on how I link the language files.

[pe7er]

Thank you, Peter for you detailed explanations and SharkyKZ for your addition.

What about the overrides?
Is there a difference depending on how I link the language files.

You're welcome!
No, there's no difference regarding loading the language files.
Those overrides are loaded first.