[Multilingual Website Development Diary - Day 23] Locale Settings!

I am grateful to durumis. I am also building a website while improving my ideas through durumis, so I hope we both do well. Above all, I have absolutely no ill feelings toward durumis. If I disliked durumis or harbored any ill feelings, I would not have pointed out its mistakes or shortcomings. I don't know how big their dreams are, but I also have big dreams, so I'm trying to fill in the gaps with a supportive heart for startup challengers.

My website has good locale settings.

However, durumis does not have locale settings.

What are locale settings on a web page?

Website visitors come from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, web pages must present information in a format that users can understand. Locale settings play a crucial role in reflecting these regional differences. For example, since date and number formats differ from country to country, appropriate locale settings allow for providing customized information to each user.

Why are locale settings necessary?

1. Date and Time Formats
Different countries represent dates differently. In Korea, the date is expressed as January 19, 2025, while in the United States, it is represented as 01/19/2025. If a web page doesn't set the locale, the date format can cause confusion. If users don't understand the dates properly, they may experience inconvenience.

2. Number and Currency Formats
Number notation also varies by region. For example, Korea uses ',' as a thousands separator, while some European countries use '.'. Currency symbols are also displayed differently. Korea uses the ₩ symbol, while the United States uses $. Without locale settings, confusion can arise in these areas.

3. Language and Character Encoding Issues
Language and characters are also important factors. For example, Korean, English, and Japanese use different characters. If a web page doesn't set the locale, characters may be broken or displayed incorrectly. Locale settings are essential, especially for multinational websites using multiple languages.

4. Multilingual Support
If a website needs to support multiple languages, locale settings are even more crucial. For instance, English-speaking users should see an English page, while Korean-speaking users should see a Korean page. Without locale settings, users may experience inconvenience because the page won't automatically switch to their preferred language.

Problems that can occur without locale settings

Without locale settings on a web page, users may experience inconvenience. For example, confusing date and time formats, numbers, characters not displaying correctly, or a lack of automatic switching to the user's preferred language can lead to user frustration.

Conclusion

Locale settings on web pages are essential for providing a better user experience. Since people from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds visit websites, it's crucial to set the locale to automatically apply region-specific date, time, and number formats. This allows web pages to provide a more familiar and convenient environment for users.