Loco Translate

Loco Translate icon
The Loco Translate plugin provides in-browser editing of WordPress translation files and integration with automatic translation services. It offers an advanced translation editor, translation tools, and automatic translation APIs.
What We Think:
96%
Very highly recommended!

Loco Translate: A Comprehensive Review

The development of WordPress plugins has been highly successful over the last years. Not only are they incredibly useful in the web development process but they also give users the tools needed to make their website stand out from the crowd. One of such plugins is Loco Translate, which has been widely praised for its many features and capabilities. This article will explore what the plugin does, how it works and provide a conclusion on its overall usefulness for WordPress users.

Loco Translate: Breakdown

Translating strings in the browser with the Loco PO Editor

Loco Translate is a plugin designed for WordPress users looking to build their own multi-lingual website or just maintain an existing one. It gives users the ability to edit and translate existing strings within their website without having to dive into complicated and time consuming coding. Furthermore, users can create language files from scratch, for any language of their choosing, in the easiest and most intuitive way. Once plugins or themes have been translated, the can be easily integrated with the website.

There is no need for manual manipulation of core code, as this can be done automatically for any language, without risking any code-breaking relapses. The plugin gives users the power to take customisation of their website one step further while having their work secured. In addition to plugins and themes, users can also translate WordPress itself. This ensures that their website will be efficient no matter what language they decide to use.

Furthermore, the plugin makes it easy to keep track of the latest translations, given that it supports automatic integration engine. This makes it easier for users to check when updates become available. They can also sync their translations as much as they need to, allowing for comprehensive tracking of all word changes and resolutions without the need for manually checking the coding. This is especially useful when time is of the essence and quickly adapting to new contextualizing changes is required.

The plugin also has great features allowing for non-coders to quickly browse and edit language files without having to enter complicated code. The integrated editor allows for a better understanding of the language structure and, consequently, better adaptation of the website to any language being used. Not only this, but the editor includes features such as syntax highlighting capabilities, manual and automatic search and replace tools, and background translation fetching for faster results.

Pros of Using Loco Translate

Easy to Use: Using the Loco Translate plugin is easy and requires minimal training. All you have to do is install the plugin, then start translating language files either manually or automatically. The simplicity of this plugin makes it ideal for developers with varying levels of knowledge and experience.

Multi-Functional: The Loco Translate plugin can be utilized for a variety of different tasks. Its primary function is language translation, but it can also be used to create language packs or to import existing language packs. This versatility eliminates the need for a developer to learn a new plugin for each task.

Fast Processing: The Loco Translate plugin is designed to work quickly and efficiently. It can quickly detect changes in language files and automatically translate them with minimal processing time. This is especially useful if you are frequently making changes to your website and need to see them in real-time.

Secure: The Loco Translate plugin has built-in security measures to help ensure the safety of your files and website. It also includes automated backups of your files that can be easily restored if anything unexpected should occur. This makes the plugin a great choice for developers who need additional peace of mind when developing a website.

Compatible: The Loco Translate plugin supports numerous operating systems and language variants. This makes it easy for developers to customize a website’s look and feel, while ensuring the content is correctly localized. The wide compatibility makes this plugin an ideal choice for developers looking to maximize the effectiveness of their website across different devices and regions.

Cons of Using Loco Translate

Increased Demand on Server Resources: The Loco Translate WordPress plugin requires a significant amount of server resources to function properly. It's important to make sure that your hosting provider can handle the processing power required, and if needed you may need to upgrade your plan to make sure your website's performance is not affected by this plugin.

Struggling with Compatibility Issues: The Loco Translate WordPress plugin tends to struggle with compatibility issues with certain themes and plugins. It's important to always test the function of the plugin with any new themes or plugins you may add or upgrade within your WordPress site. This can help avoid any issues related to plugin compatibility within your WordPress website.

Difficulty Adding New Languages: The Loco Translate WordPress plugin can make it difficult to add new languages to your WordPress website. This is especially true for those websites that have complex localization requirements, as the plugin tends to not include the necessary tools for these implementations. This leads to users having to manually input text if they wish to add a new language to their website.

Slow Performance on Big Sites: The Loco Translate WordPress plugin is not the best choice for bigger websites, as the plugin can cause a slow down in overall performance. This is due to the plugin requiring a significant amount of server resources to function correctly. It's important to make sure that your hosting provider can handle the additional load that this plugin causes.

Harder to Debug,: Due to the complexity of the Loco Translate WordPress plugin, it can be harder to debug any potential issues or errors that may arise from the plugin. This is especially true if you are unfamiliar with how the plugin works, as the debugging process can be quite a lengthy one and may require expert help to resolve.

96% Very highly recommended!

In conclusion

Overall, Loco Translate is an extremely practical plugin that offers an efficient, user-friendly experience during the multi-lingual building process. Its features, such as automatic integration of languages, syntax highlighting and translation fetching, greatly add to the convenience and power of the plugin. Loco Translate also looks to make language development easier for non-coders, which ensures that any website can be adapted to a multi-lingual format as easily and as quickly as possible. With its safety and time-saving capabilities, this plugin is definitely a great tool for WordPress users.

Plugin Specifications
  • Version: 2.6.6
  • Last Updated: 10 months ago
  • Installs: 1+ million
  • WP Version: 5.2+
  • Tested Until: 6.3.2
  • PHP Version: 5.6.20 or higher
Use Case Examples
  • Translating a General Website
    Close
    The Loco Translate WordPress plugin makes it easy to add translations for any theme and plugin on a website, allowing users to choose from a variety of languages to display their content in. The translation process is simple, and only requires a few steps to be able to create different versions for different language versions. After adding the desired translation, users can then activate their different language versions and the Loco Translate plugin will activate the new language version automatically.
  • Customizing Translations for Custom Post Types
    Expand
  • Localizing Widgets and Blocks
    Expand
  • Translating URL Strings Instantly
    Expand
  • Translating Customizer Options
    Expand
Tags
  • l10n
  • localisation
  • localization
  • translation
  • translators