Internationalization (i18n) Guide

Comprehensive guide to DeepWiki’s multi-language support, language detection, and global configuration options

DeepWiki offers robust internationalization support with built-in language detection, comprehensive translation coverage, and intelligent AI model responses in your preferred language.

Overview

DeepWiki provides comprehensive internationalization (i18n) support designed for global teams and diverse repositories. The platform automatically detects languages, provides localized interfaces, and generates documentation that respects cultural and linguistic preferences.

Key Features

• 10+ Supported Languages: Native support for major world languages
• Automatic Language Detection: Smart detection from browser settings and repository content
• Contextual AI Responses: AI models understand and respond in the appropriate language
• Cultural Adaptation: Documentation generated with cultural considerations
• Multi-language Repository Handling: Support for repositories containing multiple languages

Supported Languages

DeepWiki currently supports the following languages:

English

Code: en Default language with full feature support

Chinese (Simplified)

Code: zh 中文 - Full localization support

Chinese (Traditional)

Code: zh-tw 繁體中文 - Traditional Chinese variant

Japanese

Code: ja 日本語 - Complete Japanese localization

Korean

Code: kr 한국어 - Korean language support

Spanish

Code: es Español - Spanish localization

Vietnamese

Code: vi Tiếng Việt - Vietnamese support

Portuguese (Brazilian)

Code: pt-br Português Brasileiro - Brazilian variant

French

Code: fr Français - French localization

Russian

Code: ru Русский - Russian language support

Language Detection

Automatic Browser Detection

DeepWiki automatically detects your preferred language using a sophisticated algorithm:

// Language detection priority
1. Stored user preference (localStorage)
2. Browser language settings (navigator.language)
3. Repository primary language
4. System default (English)

Browser Detection

The system examines navigator.language and extracts the language code:

// Examples of browser language detection
'en-US' → 'en' (English)
'ja-JP' → 'ja' (Japanese)
'zh-CN' → 'zh' (Simplified Chinese)
'zh-TW' → 'zh-tw' (Traditional Chinese)
'es-ES' → 'es' (Spanish)

Repository Language Detection

For documentation generation, DeepWiki analyzes repository content:

1. Primary Language Analysis

   Detects the main programming language used in the repository

2. Documentation Language

   Identifies existing documentation language (README, comments)

3. Cultural Context

   Considers regional coding patterns and naming conventions

UI Language Configuration

Manual Language Selection

Users can manually override automatic detection through the language selector:

Language Selector Component

import { useLanguage } from '@/contexts/LanguageContext';

function LanguageSelector() {
  const { language, setLanguage, supportedLanguages } = useLanguage();

  return (
    <select 
      value={language} 
      onChange={(e) => setLanguage(e.target.value)}
      className="px-3 py-2 border rounded-md"
    >
      {Object.entries(supportedLanguages).map(([code, name]) => (
        <option key={code} value={code}>
          {name}
        </option>
      ))}
    </select>
  );
}

Language Context Integration

React Context

import { useLanguage } from '@/contexts/LanguageContext';

function MyComponent() {
  const { messages, language } = useLanguage();
  
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>{messages.common.appName}</h1>
      <p>Current language: {language}</p>
    </div>
  );
}

API Language Configuration

Request Headers

Configure language preferences through API requests:

curl -X POST https://api.deepwiki.ai/generate-wiki \
  -H "Accept-Language: ja,en;q=0.9" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "repo_url": "owner/repo",
    "language": "ja",
    "wiki_language": "ja"
  }'

Configuration Files

Set default languages in your configuration:

lang.json

{
  "supported_languages": {
    "en": "English",
    "ja": "Japanese (日本語)",
    "zh": "Mandarin Chinese (中文)",
    "zh-tw": "Traditional Chinese (繁體中文)",
    "es": "Spanish (Español)",
    "kr": "Korean (한국어)",
    "vi": "Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)",
    "pt-br": "Brazilian Portuguese (Português Brasileiro)",
    "fr": "Français (French)",
    "ru": "Русский (Russian)"
  },
  "default": "en"
}

AI Model Language Context

Language-Aware Generation

DeepWiki’s AI models understand linguistic context and generate appropriate documentation:

English Context

# User Authentication System

This module provides secure user authentication with JWT tokens.

## Features
- Password hashing with bcrypt
- JWT token generation and validation
- Role-based access control (RBAC)

Model Configuration

Configure AI models for multilingual responses:

{
  "generator": {
    "language_context": true,
    "cultural_adaptation": true,
    "preserve_technical_terms": true,
    "localization_depth": "comprehensive"
  },
  "embedder": {
    "multilingual_embeddings": true,
    "cross_language_similarity": true
  }
}

Multi-Language Repository Handling

Repository Analysis

DeepWiki intelligently handles repositories with multiple languages:

1. Primary Language Detection

   Identifies the main programming language and documentation language

2. Secondary Language Support

   Recognizes additional languages and their contexts

3. Mixed Content Handling

   Appropriately processes files with mixed language content

Documentation Strategy

Unified Approach

Generate single documentation in the dominant language with technical terms preserved

Parallel Documentation

Create separate documentation versions for major languages in the repository

Code Examples

// English-dominant repository with Japanese comments
class UserService {
  /**
   * ユーザーを作成します
   * Creates a new user account
   */
  async createUser(userData: UserData): Promise<User> {
    // データバリデーション (Data validation)
    const validatedData = this.validateUserData(userData);
    
    // ユーザー保存 (Save user)
    return await this.userRepository.save(validatedData);
  }
}

Generated documentation preserves both contexts:

## UserService クラス

`UserService` class provides comprehensive user management functionality with bilingual support.

### createUser メソッド

Creates a new user account with data validation.

**Parameters:**
- `userData: UserData` - User information to be processed

**Returns:** 
- `Promise<User>` - Created user object

**Implementation Notes:**
- データバリデーション (Data validation) ensures input integrity
- ユーザー保存 (User saving) persists data to repository

Cultural Considerations

Regional Preferences

DeepWiki adapts to regional documentation preferences:

Western Style

# Quick Start Guide

Get started with DeepWiki in 3 easy steps:

1. Clone the repository
2. Install dependencies  
3. Run the application

## Prerequisites
- Node.js 18+
- Git

Technical Term Handling

Preserve Original

Keep technical terms in original language

Example: useState remains useState in all languages

Add Explanations

Provide local explanations for complex terms

Example: “JWT (JSON Web Token / JSONウェブトークン)“

Best Practices for International Teams

1. Language Strategy

1. Primary Language Selection

   Choose a primary language for technical documentation (usually English)

2. Localization Scope

   Decide which content needs full localization vs. technical preservation

3. Consistency Maintenance

   Establish terminology guidelines for mixed-language projects

2. Repository Organization

docs/
├── en/           # English documentation
├── ja/           # Japanese documentation  
├── zh/           # Chinese documentation
└── shared/       # Language-neutral resources
    ├── diagrams/
    └── code-samples/

3. Development Guidelines

Code Comments

// Use primary language for code comments
// 主要言語でコードコメントを記述

/**
 * User authentication service
 * ユーザー認証サービス
 * @param credentials - Login credentials / ログイン資格情報
 */

4. Quality Assurance

Language Review

Have native speakers review translated documentation for accuracy and cultural appropriateness

Technical Accuracy

Ensure technical terms and concepts remain accurate across all languages

Consistency Checks

Use automated tools to check consistency between language versions

User Testing

Test documentation with users from different linguistic backgrounds

Advanced Configuration

Custom Language Support

Extend DeepWiki with additional languages:

Add New Language

{
  "supported_languages": {
    "de": "Deutsch (German)",
    "it": "Italiano (Italian)",
    "nl": "Nederlands (Dutch)"
  }
}

Language-Specific Features

{
  "language_features": {
    "ja": {
      "ruby_annotations": true,
      "vertical_text_support": true
    },
    "zh": {
      "traditional_characters": true,
      "pinyin_support": true
    },
    "ar": {
      "rtl_support": true,
      "arabic_numerals": true
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Language not detecting correctly

Solution: Check browser language settings and clear localStorage:

localStorage.removeItem('language');
location.reload();

Mixed language in generated docs

Cause: Repository contains multiple languages without clear primary language.

Solution: Explicitly set the wiki language in generation settings.

AI responses in wrong language

Check:

• API language header configuration
• Model language context settings
• Repository language detection accuracy

Missing translations

Solution: Add missing keys to message files:

// messages/[lang].json
{
  "newFeature": {
    "title": "Translated Title",
    "description": "Translated Description"
  }
}

Debug Mode

Enable language debugging for troubleshooting:

// Enable in browser console
localStorage.setItem('deepwiki_debug_i18n', 'true');

// View language detection logs
console.log('Browser language:', navigator.language);
console.log('Detected language:', detectedLanguage);
console.log('Available languages:', supportedLanguages);

Migration Guide

Updating Language Support

When upgrading DeepWiki versions:

1. Backup Current Settings

   cp api/config/lang.json api/config/lang.json.backup
   

2. Update Configuration

   Merge new language options with existing preferences

3. Update Message Files

   Add new translation keys to all language files

4. Test Language Switching

   Verify all languages work correctly after update

Always test language functionality after updates, as new features may require additional translations.

API Reference

Language Configuration Endpoints

# Get supported languages
GET /api/lang/config

# Set user language preference  
POST /api/user/language
{
  "language": "ja",
  "persist": true
}

# Generate wiki with specific language
POST /api/wiki/generate
{
  "repo_url": "owner/repo",
  "language": "zh",
  "wiki_language": "zh"
}

Language Detection API

# Detect repository language
POST /api/detect/language
{
  "repo_url": "owner/repo"
}

# Response
{
  "primary_language": "JavaScript",
  "documentation_language": "en",
  "suggested_wiki_language": "en",
  "confidence": 0.95
}

DeepWiki’s internationalization system ensures that teams around the world can generate high-quality documentation in their preferred languages while maintaining technical accuracy and cultural appropriateness.