notification templates variables localization

If you’re looking for notification template variables localization, the general idea is:

1. Keep variables language-neutral

   • Examples: {{user_name}}, {{order_number}}, {{deadline}}
   • These values come from data and usually don’t need translation themselves.

2. Localize the surrounding text

   • Example in English:
     Hello {{user_name}}, your order {{order_number}} has shipped.
   • Example in Spanish:
     Hola {{user_name}}, tu pedido {{order_number}} ha sido enviado.

3. Use locale-specific formatting for variable values

   • Dates: 2026-10-13 → 13 Oct 2026 / 13 oct. 2026
   • Currency: $1,250.00 / 1.250,00 €
   • Numbers, plurals, and names of days/months should follow locale rules

4. Support pluralization and gender where needed

   • Example:
     • You have 1 new message
     • You have 5 new messages
   • Best handled with an i18n framework rather than hardcoded strings

5. Don’t translate placeholders themselves

   • The token names should stay stable across languages
   • Example: use {{first_name}}, not localized placeholder names per language

6. If templates are editable by translators

   • Use a translation system that protects variables from being changed
   • Example formats:
     • Hello {user_name}
     • Hello {{user_name}}
     • ICU MessageFormat: Hello {user_name}, you have {count, plural, one {# message} other {# messages}}

Recommended approach

Use:

• message templates per locale
• data variables passed separately
• ICU MessageFormat or similar i18n tooling for pluralization and interpolation

Example

English

Hi {{user_name}}, your appointment is on {{appointment_date}}.

French

Bonjour {{user_name}}, votre rendez-vous est le {{appointment_date}}.

With appointment_date formatted by locale:

• English: Oct 13, 2026
• French: 13 oct. 2026

If you want, I can also provide:

• a schema for localized notification templates
• best practices for variable naming
• or examples for a specific platform like React, Django, Laravel, or SendGrid.