Localize the admin and authoring workflow

Configure interface catalogs, translated labels, RTL, timezones, and a separate content-locale workflow.

Ridu separates two choices: the content locale selects stored/fallback values, while the interface language translates admin controls and application labels. An editor can author Arabic content with the French interface and a Europe/Paris display timezone.

Configuration

Go option	TypeScript counterpart	What it controls
`Admin.Localization.Languages`	`languages` passed to `mountAdmin`	Declares each available interface language and requires a matching static catalog.
`DefaultLanguage`	First active/default catalog	Chooses the initial interface language.
`AdminLanguage.Code`, `Label`, `RTL`	Catalog language metadata	Keeps the Go declaration and bundled catalog identity/direction consistent.
`Admin.Localization.TimeZones`	Browser `Intl` formatting	Declares allowed IANA timezone IDs or fixed offsets and their labels.
`DefaultTimeZone`	Initial formatting timezone	Chooses how stored instants appear before an author changes preference.
`LabelTranslations` maps	`messages` / plugin catalogs	Translates application-owned labels without changing stable slugs or keys.

Configure interface choices

Declare languages/timezones in Admin.Localization and pass matching static catalogs to mountAdmin. Ridu publishes complete English, French, and Arabic catalogs in @riducms/translations:

admin/src/main.ts

import { ar, en, fr } from '@riducms/translations';

mountAdmin({
  target,
  clientFactory: createAdminClient,
  plugins: adminPlugins,
  languages: [en, fr, ar]
});

The matching Go config declares canonical language codes, labels, RTL state, IANA timezone IDs, and defaults. A configured language without a matching static catalog—or conflicting RTL metadata— fails closed. Authors persist interface language and timezone in their account preferences.

Application name, collections/globals, fields, choices, blocks, tabs, row labels, groups, and timezones support typed translated labels. Plugin messages use namespaced build-validated catalogs. Dates, numbers, plurals, and relative time use the active language/timezone through Intl.

When an editor schedules a collection publication, the schedule drawer starts with the configured default timezone and lets the editor choose another configured zone. Clearing the choice uses the browser timezone. The selected zone is saved with that event for display, while the publication time remains an absolute instant. Choosing a zone in the drawer does not change the editor’s account timezone preference.

Author localized content

The global content-locale switcher controls exact/fallback values, list filters, relationships, versions, and copy-locale operations. The admin shows the fallback source, protects dirty changes during a locale switch, and uses RTL editing direction where configured. Interface language never changes stored content, and content locale never changes interface copy automatically.

Verify the workflow

switch English/French/Arabic interface catalogs and confirm direction/labels;
switch timezones and confirm one stored timestamp formats differently without mutating it;
edit one localized field in two content locales and verify the fallback source;
reload/sign in again and confirm account preferences; and
read exact and locale: 'all' shapes through the generated SDK.

The complete Go configuration, catalog installation, fallback rules, APIs, and limitations are in Content localization.