Alconost & Tolgee partner to make app localisation easier

Alconost and Tolgee have announced a partnership to streamline app localisation processes for software development teams.

The collaboration pairs Alconost's translation experience with Tolgee's open-source translation platform, addressing common challenges development teams face when integrating app translation into their workflows.

Alconost brings years of linguistic and industry expertise to the partnership, while Tolgee offers native integrations with development frameworks such as React, Angular and Vue. The integration enables developers to request and receive translations directly within their workflow tools, removing the need for separate files, spreadsheets, or email exchanges.

Alexandr Murauski, Chief Executive Officer of Alconost, said, "We've heard from developers for years about how translation typically disrupts their workflow. With Tolgee, we can meet them where they already work. No more exporting files, emailing agencies, and waiting days for quotes. A developer or product manager can now get their app speaking a dozen new languages as easily as they merge code."

The approach uses a combination of artificial intelligence to increase efficiency and human translators to maintain accuracy and natural phrasing. According to Alconost, this dual method is designed to lower costs by as much as 50% without any loss in translation quality.

The translation process is designed to keep content updated as developers change their codebase. Translators can view text in its intended context within the application, minimising misunderstandings and allowing timely updates as software evolves. This supports developers in maintaining synchronicity between app content and its translations across multiple languages.

Jan Cizmar, Co-Founder of Tolgee, commented on the collaboration, saying, "We decided to kick this out with Alconost, as they also helped us with the UI of this feature and guided us in doing it correctly and not overcomplicating this in the first iteration."

Teams in various sectors are reported to be using the integration for different content types. Software and SaaS teams can have technical documentation and API materials translated by industry-experienced linguists, preserving code syntax. Fintech and legal software providers can translate regulatory content while maintaining compliance records. For game development, the system allows translators to review user interface elements closely and facilitate cultural adaptation of storylines and dialogue. E-commerce teams are also able to update product information in over 120 languages, targeting improved local search engine optimisation.

The workflow for the Alconost and Tolgee integration entails four steps: selecting content for translation within Tolgee; obtaining a price and timeline from Alconost's team, typically within two hours; translation by industry-specialised translators working in the app context; and receiving the finished files automatically within the development project.

Alconost supports clients with the full localisation process, including translation, cultural adaptation, ongoing multilingual updates, and related engineering. The company's goal is to enable companies to expand into international markets. Since 2004, it has supported over 3,200 firms globally, including a range of start-ups and established organisations.

Tolgee's open-source platform provides tools for translators to work directly within applications. Its in-context editing feature allows teams to view and modify translations live, which is intended to improve both the speed and quality of multilingual product releases across various software frameworks.