Java properties

Last updated: September 09, 2024
java-properties
File format value
java-properties
List of supported file formats

One of the most common formats used for localization in all Java and JVM apps are property files as shown below. Every file contains translations for a different language translation. It's a common case where those files have naming convention like messages_{language}.properties. For example: messages_pl-PL.properties.

java i18n properties file structure

Such files are often used together with Thymeleaf template engine and for e-mail translations.

File format example

# common
email.user.hello=Hello, {0}
email.team=SimpleLocalize.com Team
email.broken.button.instruction=In case the button link doesn't work for you, please copy and paste the link in your browser
# user created
email.user.created.subject=Setup password for SimpleLocalize account
email.user.created.instruction.button=In order to set up a new password, click on the button below:
email.user.created.button.text=Setup password

Characters escaping

When exporting translations to Java properties file, SimpleLocalize will escape special characters like \t, \n, \r, \f, \, # and = by default. Those characters are also unescaped automatically when importing translations to SimpleLocalize.

Spring Boot and MessageSource

If you are using Spring Boot and MessageSource, you may want to escape single quotes ' in your messages. To do that, add ESCAPE_SINGLE_QUOTES as an export option in your CLI or API request. There is also option to unescape single quotes by replacing every two single-quotes to one single-quote when importing translations back to SimpleLocalize. To do that, add UNESCAPE_SINGLE_QUOTES as an import option.

Remember to set ResourceBundleMessageSource.setAlwaysUseMessageFormat to true in your bean configuration.

Upload with CLI

simplelocalize upload --apiKey <PROJECT_KEY> \
  --uploadFormat java-properties \
  --uploadPath ./messages_{lang}.properties

Learn more about SimpleLocalize CLI and translations upload feature.

Download with CLI

simplelocalize download --apiKey <PROJECT_KEY> \
  --downloadFormat java-properties \
  --downloadPath ./messages_{lang}.properties

Learn more about SimpleLocalize CLI and translations download feature.

Import with API

curl
    --request POST \
    --url 'https://api.simplelocalize.io/api/v2/import?uploadFormat=java-properties' \
    --header 'x-simplelocalize-token: <API_KEY>' \
    --form file=@/path/to/your/messages.properties

Learn more about importing translations with API

Export with API

curl
    --request GET \
    --url https://api.simplelocalize.io/api/v3/export?downloadFormat=java-properties \
    --header 'x-simplelocalize-token: <API_KEY>'

Learn more about exporting translations with API

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