Question 1

How do I set up custom pluralization rules in MiniI18n?

Accepted Answer

Define a lambda function in the pluralization_rules configuration for each locale, mapping counts to keys like 'zero' or 'few'. Then, include those keys in your translation YAML files, as demonstrated in the README's Spanish example for notifications.

Question 2

MiniI18n vs the standard Ruby I18n gem: which is better?

Accepted Answer

Choose MiniI18n for lightweight, performance-focused projects with simple i18n needs and a minimal footprint. Opt for the I18n gem if you require advanced features, Rails integration, or a larger ecosystem with plugins and community support.

Question 3

Can MiniI18n load translations from a database instead of files?

Accepted Answer

No, MiniI18n is designed to load translations only from YAML or JSON files into memory. For database-backed translations, you'd need to implement custom loading logic or consider a different library that supports dynamic sources.

Question 4

What languages are supported out of the box for date and number formatting?

Accepted Answer

MiniI18n provides built-in localization for 11 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and Arabic. These include default formats for dates, times, and numbers following each language's conventions.

Question 5

How to handle fallback locales in MiniI18n?

Accepted Answer

Enable fallbacks by setting config.fallbacks = true in the configuration; it defaults to the default_locale when a translation key is missing in the current locale, ensuring graceful degradation without errors.

Question 6

Is MiniI18n suitable for large apps with thousands of translation keys?

Accepted Answer

While fast due to in-memory storage, loading all translations into memory can increase memory usage significantly for large sets. Consider the trade-off or look at libraries with lazy loading if memory is a concern.

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