Internationalization and localization

Imagine that you are playing with some buddies outside, but suddenly a new friend from another country comes to join. However, this new friend doesn't speak the same language as you and your friends. That's where internationalization and localization come into play, which are ways to make things work for people from different countries and cultures.

Internationalization is like making a toy that can work for anyone, no matter where they are from. For example, if you want to create a toy that can be used by children from different countries and languages, you may want to design it in a way that uses pictures instead of words. By doing so, you make sure that the toy can be easily used by kids who speak different languages.

Now, let's say that you live in a country where people celebrate Christmas on December 25th every year. However, your new friend is from a country where they celebrate a different holiday on a different day. Localization is a way to make things more familiar and comfortable for people who come from different cultures. In this case, you might consider changing the holiday decoration to reflect the traditions from your friend’s country, so they can feel more welcome.

Localization can also mean changing the colors, images or even the words used on a website, app or product so that it reflects the customs and language of a particular country or culture. This is especially important for businesses that have customers all around the world as it enables them to reach out to a wider audience and make their products and services more accessible and understandable.

In summary, internationalization is about making something work across different countries and cultures, while localization is about adapting it to a specific culture or country so that it feels familiar and welcoming.