In
computing,
internationalization and localization (other correct spellings are internationalisation and localisation) are means of adapting
computer software to different languages, regional differences and technical requirements of a target market. Internationalization is the process of designing a software application so that it can
potentially be adapted to various languages and regions without engineering changes. Localization is the process of adapting internationalized software for a
specific region or language by adding
locale-specific components and translating text. Localization (which is potentially performed multiple times, for different locales) uses the infrastructure or flexibility provided by internationalization (which is ideally performed only once, or as an integral part of ongoing development).