Lazy Loading Translations
Loading translation files on-demand rather than all at once.
Definition
Lazy loading translations means loading language files dynamically when needed rather than bundling all translations in the initial JavaScript. This reduces initial bundle size and improves load time—especially important for apps supporting many languages. Techniques include: route-based loading, namespace splitting, and dynamic imports.
Examples
- →Load Spanish only when user switches to Spanish
- →Load checkout translations only on checkout page
- →Namespace splitting: common.json loaded first, admin.json on-demand
- →Dynamic import: const es = await import('./locales/es.json')
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I lazy load translations?
Lazy load when: many languages (>5), large translation files (>50KB), route-specific content, or slow initial load times. Keep eager: small apps, few languages, critical first-screen content. Measure bundle size to decide.
How do I implement lazy loading?
Most i18n libraries support it: i18next backend plugins, next-intl dynamic imports, vue-i18n lazy loading. Pattern: load fallback language at startup, load user's language async, show loading state or fallback while loading.