Implementing Globalization and localization in ASP.NET Core Application

Register services and configure middleware

Startup.ConfigureServices method:

//Assume all resources are in the folder named "resources" in the website

services.AddLocalization(location => { location.ResourcesPath = "Resources"; });

services.AddSingleton<IStringLocalizerFactory, ResourceManagerStringLocalizerFactory>();

services.Configure<RequestLocalizationOptions>(
   options =>
   {
       var supportedCultures = new List<CultureInfo>
           {
                new CultureInfo("en-CA"),
                new CultureInfo("fr-CA")
           };

       //options.DefaultRequestCulture = new RequestCulture(culture: "en-CA");
       options.DefaultRequestCulture = new RequestCulture(culture: "en-CA", uiCulture: "en-CA");
       options.SupportedCultures = supportedCultures;
       options.SupportedUICultures = supportedCultures;

       //options.RequestCultureProviders.Insert(0, new QueryStringRequestCultureProvider());
       //options.RequestCultureProviders = new List<IRequestCultureProvider>
       //     {
       //         new QueryStringRequestCultureProvider(),
       //         new CookieRequestCultureProvider()
       //     };
   });

The current culture on a request is set in the localization middleware. The localization middleware is enabled in the Configure method of Startup.cs file.

app.UseRequestLocalization();

//var localizationOption = app.ApplicationServices.GetService<IOptions<RequestLocalizationOptions>>();
//app.UseRequestLocalization(localizationOption.Value);

then UseRequestLocalization initializes a RequestLocalizationOptions object. This should be placed at least before your UseMvc call.

Create resources

 

Inject the services

IStringLocalizer<T> and/or IStringLocalizerFactory implementation can be injected in the controller constructor through Dependency Injection:

private readonly ILogger<HomeController> _logger;
private readonly IStringLocalizer _controllerLocalizer;
private readonly IStringLocalizer _sharedLocalizer;

public HomeController(ILogger<HomeController> logger, IStringLocalizer<HomeController> localizer, IStringLocalizerFactory factory)
{
    _logger = logger;

    _controllerLocalizer = localizer;

    var assemblyName = new AssemblyName(typeof(SharedResource).GetTypeInfo().Assembly.FullName);
    _sharedLocalizer = factory.Create("SharedResource", assemblyName.Name);

}

 

The code above demonstrates each of the two factory create methods.

You can partition your localized strings by controller, area, or have just one container. In the sample app, a dummy class named SharedResource is used for shared resources.

// Dummy class to group shared resources

public class SharedResource
{
}

To fully control the access to the resource, you can inject an IStringLocalizerFactory into the controller or view.

Use the service

public IActionResult Index()
{
    ViewData["HelloWorldFromControllerReource"] = _controllerLocalizer["HelloWorld"];
    ViewData["HelloWorldFromSharedResource"] = _sharedLocalizer["HelloWorld"];

    return View();
}
 

Change Culture

[HttpPost]
public IActionResult SetLanguage(string culture, string returnUrl)
{
    Response.Cookies.Append(
        CookieRequestCultureProvider.DefaultCookieName,
        CookieRequestCultureProvider.MakeCookieValue(new     RequestCulture(culture)),
    new CookieOptions { Expires = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow.AddYears(1) }
    );

    return LocalRedirect(returnUrl);
}

Get the current language

var currentLanguage = HttpContext.Features.Get<IRequestCultureFeature>().RequestCulture.Culture.Name;