How do I install the Typo3 Translations skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add dirnbauer/typo3-translations in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

What does the Typo3 Translations skill do?

Guides TYPO3 13/14 localization with locallang.xlf, labels.xlf, XLIFF 1.2 and 2.0, ICU MessageFormat, LLL references, translation domains, Content Blocks labels, paths, namespaces, and migration checks. Use when the user mentions TYPO3 translations, localization, labels, XLIFF, ICU, LLL, missing keys, duplicate units, or v13-to-v14 translation migration. It is listed under Coding & Dev Tools on SkillMD.

Is Typo3 Translations safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Capability flags: makes network calls. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Typo3 Translations?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Typo3 Translations free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free. This skill is licensed under MIT / CC-BY-SA-4.

Who published Typo3 Translations?

dirnbauer (@dirnbauer) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Typo3 Translations by dirnbauer — Agent Skill

Name: Typo3 Translations
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: dirnbauer

TYPO3 13/14 Translations

Source: https://github.com/dirnbauer/webconsulting-skills

Use this skill for TYPO3 13 and TYPO3 14 translation files, XLIFF format decisions, localization keys, ICU strings, LLL: references, and v14 translation-domain adoption. Start from the TYPO3 13-compatible baseline, then apply TYPO3 14 upgrades when the extension or project is v14-only.

Core Rules

For TYPO3 13+14 compatibility, keep XLIFF 1.2 and full LLL:EXT: references.
For TYPO3 14-only work, prefer XLIFF 2.0 and consider translation domains in PHP where they improve readability.
Keep one source language file in English, unprefixed, for example Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf or labels.xlf.
Store target languages beside the source with locale prefixes, for example de.locallang.xlf, de_CH.locallang.xlf, or de.labels.xlf.
Do not create en.locallang.xlf; English is the unprefixed source.
Keep exactly one <file> element per XLIFF file.
Keep one target language per target file.
Mark approved translations with approved="yes" in XLIFF 1.2 or state="reviewed" / state="final" in XLIFF 2.0.
Treat ICU MessageFormat as TYPO3 14.2+ only; do not use ICU for code that must run unchanged on TYPO3 13.
Use TYPO3 localization APIs and Fluid ViewHelpers; do not add custom label loaders.

Default Workflow

Inventory source files in Resources/Private/Language/*.xlf and ContentBlocks/**/language/*.xlf.
Inventory consumers in PHP, TCA, YAML, Fluid, TypoScript, TSconfig, and Content Blocks configuration.
Decide the compatibility mode:
- TYPO3 13+14: stay on XLIFF 1.2 and LLL:EXT:.
- TYPO3 14-only: migrate selected catalogs to XLIFF 2.0 and optionally use domains/ICU.
Normalize paths, filenames, XML namespaces, and key namespaces.
Add or migrate labels with natural target-language copy.
Validate XML, duplicate IDs, source/target parity, and LLL: resolution.
Flush TYPO3 caches and smoke-test backend and frontend language contexts.

TYPO3 13-Compatible Baseline

Use this baseline when an extension must support TYPO3 13 and 14.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xliff version="1.2" xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.2">
  <file source-language="en" datatype="plaintext" original="EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf" product-name="my_extension">
    <header/>
    <body>
      <trans-unit id="button.save">
        <source>Save</source>
      </trans-unit>
      <trans-unit id="items.count">
        <source>Items: %d</source>
      </trans-unit>
    </body>
  </file>
</xliff>

Target file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xliff version="1.2" xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.2">
  <file source-language="en" target-language="de" datatype="plaintext" original="EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf" product-name="my_extension">
    <header/>
    <body>
      <trans-unit id="button.save" approved="yes">
        <source>Save</source>
        <target>Speichern</target>
      </trans-unit>
      <trans-unit id="items.count" approved="yes">
        <source>Items: %d</source>
        <target>Eintraege: %d</target>
      </trans-unit>
    </body>
  </file>
</xliff>

TYPO3 13 notes:

Use source-language="en" and target-language="<locale>".
Use <trans-unit> inside <body>.
Use approved="yes" for reviewed translations when approval state matters.
Use %s / %d style placeholders and runtime formatting, not ICU.
Use full LLL:EXT: references; translation domains are a TYPO3 14 feature.

TYPO3 14 Changes

Use these changes when the project is TYPO3 14-only, or when preparing a v14 branch while keeping the v13 branch on the baseline above.

XLIFF 2.0

Use this source shape for v14-only catalogs:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xliff version="2.0" xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:2.0" srcLang="en">
  <file id="messages">
    <unit id="button.save">
      <segment>
        <source>Save</source>
      </segment>
    </unit>
    <unit id="items.count">
      <segment>
        <source>{count, plural, one {# item} other {# items}}</source>
      </segment>
    </unit>
  </file>
</xliff>

Use this target shape:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xliff version="2.0" xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:2.0" srcLang="en" trgLang="de">
  <file id="messages">
    <unit id="button.save">
      <segment state="final">
        <source>Save</source>
        <target>Speichern</target>
      </segment>
    </unit>
    <unit id="items.count">
      <segment state="final">
        <source>{count, plural, one {# item} other {# items}}</source>
        <target>{count, plural, one {# Eintrag} other {# Eintraege}}</target>
      </segment>
    </unit>
  </file>
</xliff>

Migrating XLIFF 1.2 To 2.0

Use this checklist only after the affected label family no longer needs TYPO3 13 compatibility:

Confirm composer.json and ext_emconf.php no longer support TYPO3 13.
Create a branch and convert one label family first.
Change <xliff version="1.2" xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.2"> to <xliff version="2.0" xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:2.0" srcLang="en">.
Remove the XLIFF 1.2 <header> and <body> wrapper.
Convert each <trans-unit id="key"> to <unit id="key"><segment>....
Move <source> and <target> inside <segment>.
Convert source-language/target-language attributes to srcLang/trgLang.
Convert approved="yes" to state="reviewed" or state="final".
Split files that contain more than one <file> or more than one target language.
Preserve unit IDs exactly; change references only when deliberately renaming keys.
Validate XML and compare unit IDs between source and every target file.
Flush TYPO3 caches and verify labels in all affected backend/frontend views.

Do not migrate to a newer XLIFF dialect just because tooling can emit it. For a TYPO3 14-only branch, use the documented XLIFF 2.0 shape unless the project has verified support for another 2.x variant.

ICU MessageFormat

TYPO3 14.2+ supports ICU MessageFormat when translation calls pass named arguments. Store ICU strings as normal XLIFF source and target text.

For TYPO3 13+14 compatibility, avoid ICU and keep classic placeholders. Add ICU only in v14-only code paths or v14-only label files.

Rules:

Use named placeholders such as {count} and {name}.
Do not translate placeholder names.
Include other in every plural and select expression.
Test plural messages with 0, 1, and multiple values.
Use LanguageService::translate(), LocalizationUtility::translate(), or Fluid <f:translate arguments="{...}">; sL() resolves plain labels only.

PHP:

$label = $languageService->translate(
    'items.count',
    'my_extension.messages',
    ['count' => 5],
);

Fluid:

<f:translate key="items.count" arguments="{count: itemCount}" />

Paths, Namespaces, And Domains

Use stable file paths and key namespaces so references remain readable during v13-to-v14 upgrades.

File Paths

Shared extension labels: EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/messages.xlf
Traditional extension labels: EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf
Database/TCA labels: EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_db.xlf
Content Blocks labels: ContentBlocks/<Type>/<name>/language/labels.xlf

Use full LLL:EXT: references where configuration is loaded outside an Extbase context:

'label' => 'LLL:EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_db.xlf:tx_my_table.title',

XML Namespace

Use the XLIFF 2.0 namespace exactly:

xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:2.0"

XLIFF IDs Versus TYPO3 14 Domains

Keep the XLIFF unit ID independent from the file/domain reference:

XLIFF unit ID: top, button.save, field.ctaText.label.
TYPO3 14 domain: my_extension.messages, my_extension.label, my_extension.backend.dashboard.
Combined v14 reference: my_extension.label:top.

Do not write my_extension.label.top when you mean a TYPO3 14 domain reference. Without the colon, it is just a dotted label ID in the current Extbase/default context.

TYPO3 14 derives domains from language file paths:

File	Domain
`Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf`	`my_extension.messages`
`Resources/Private/Language/messages.xlf`	`my_extension.messages`
`Resources/Private/Language/label.xlf`	`my_extension.label`
`Resources/Private/Language/locallang_label.xlf`	`my_extension.label`
`Resources/Private/Language/Backend/locallang_dashboard.xlf`	`my_extension.backend.dashboard`
`Configuration/Sets/Blog/labels.xlf`	`my_extension.sets.blog`

If two files map to the same domain, such as label.xlf and locallang_label.xlf, the simplified filename wins. Avoid these conflicts.

TYPO3 14 Fluid And API Syntax

Use domains for v14-only Fluid templates:

<f:translate domain="my_extension.label" key="top" />
<f:translate key="my_extension.label:top" />
{f:translate(domain: 'my_extension.messages', key: 'button.save')}

Use the same combined syntax in PHP:

$languageService->sL('my_extension.label:top');
$languageService->sL('my_extension.messages:button.save');

For TYPO3 13 compatibility, keep:

<f:translate key="top" extensionName="MyExtension" />
<f:translate key="LLL:EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/label.xlf:top" />

The v14 domain argument takes precedence over extensionName. Inspect domains with php bin/typo3 language:domain:list when EXT:lowlevel is available.

TYPO3 API First

Use LanguageServiceFactory when a language service must be created explicitly.

use Psr\Http\Message\ServerRequestInterface;
use TYPO3\CMS\Core\Localization\LanguageServiceFactory;

final readonly class LabelService
{
    public function __construct(
        private LanguageServiceFactory $languageServiceFactory,
    ) {}

    public function saveLabel(ServerRequestInterface $request): string
    {
        $languageService = $this->languageServiceFactory->createFromSiteLanguage(
            $request->getAttribute('language'),
        );

        return $languageService->sL(
            'LLL:EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/messages.xlf:button.save',
        );
    }
}

For backend-only code, $GLOBALS['LANG'] can be used when the backend bootstrap has initialized it. Keep access wrapped in a helper so the dependency is obvious.

Content Blocks Labels

Content Blocks labels commonly live beside the block in ContentBlocks/<Type>/<name>/language/labels.xlf. The source file is labels.xlf; translated files use locale prefixes such as de.labels.xlf.

Put editor-facing title and description in the block language file.
Use field IDs such as <field>.label and <field>.description.

Generate or inspect expected keys before editing:

vendor/bin/typo3 content-blocks:language:generate vendor/block --print
vendor/bin/typo3 content-blocks:language:generate vendor/block --extension=my_extension

Remember that labels.xlf overrides inline labels from config.yaml.
Convert generated v14-only catalogs to XLIFF 2.0 after the key list is known.

Detailed Reference

Read the full guide when the task needs detailed examples, long templates, troubleshooting matrices, appendices, or sections not included above. Keep this file unloaded for narrow tasks so the skill follows progressive disclosure.

Typo3 Translations

File contents

TYPO3 13/14 Translations

Core Rules

Default Workflow

TYPO3 13-Compatible Baseline

TYPO3 14 Changes

XLIFF 2.0

Migrating XLIFF 1.2 To 2.0

ICU MessageFormat

Paths, Namespaces, And Domains

File Paths

XML Namespace

XLIFF IDs Versus TYPO3 14 Domains

TYPO3 14 Fluid And API Syntax

TYPO3 API First

Content Blocks Labels

Detailed Reference

Frequently asked questions

Typo3 Translations

File contents

TYPO3 13/14 Translations

Core Rules

Default Workflow

TYPO3 13-Compatible Baseline

TYPO3 14 Changes

XLIFF 2.0

Migrating XLIFF 1.2 To 2.0

ICU MessageFormat

Paths, Namespaces, And Domains

File Paths

XML Namespace

XLIFF IDs Versus TYPO3 14 Domains

TYPO3 14 Fluid And API Syntax

TYPO3 API First

Content Blocks Labels

Detailed Reference

Related skills

Frequently asked questions

How do I install the Typo3 Translations skill?

What does the Typo3 Translations skill do?

Is Typo3 Translations safe to use?

Which AI agents work with Typo3 Translations?

Is Typo3 Translations free to use?

Who published Typo3 Translations?