Translating the Arches UI

Quick links: Arches on Weblate | Weblate User Guide

Creating and sharing translations of user interface text in Arches is one way to contribute back to the community for those who do not write code.

Arches supports localization since version 7, thanks to a contribution from the Arcadia Fund.  This enables translations of the Arches UI from English to other languages, along with the ability to contribute those transitions back to the Arches code as an asset for the community.

The Arches Project has adopted Weblate, an open source translation collaboration tool. Weblate’s function is not to produce translations automatically, but to help translators manage the content and the workflow of producing translations into any language. With an easy to use interface, Weblate displays Arches UI text line by line to assist the process for individuals providing translations or for those contributing their expertise by reviewing existing translations for quality assurance. 

Available Arches Translations

Many Arches UI elements have already been translated or partially translated into multiple languages.  If you are looking to translate the Arches UI into a language other than English, you may find that part of the work has already been done.  We recommend checking multiple resources for the most current information regarding translations:

  • Arches on GitHub.  Translation files that have been contributed back to the code base are already in the Arches GitHub code repository and available for use.  To find a list of these files, go to the code repository for the Arches version you’re using and once there navigate into the folders arches > locale.  Language translations are here, stored as django .po files.
  • Arches Project on Weblate.  The Weblate translation platform is a tool for content translators, but also serves as a store for existing Arches translations.  Not all have been contributed back to the code base, so this list may be more extensive than what is available in the GitHub repository.  However, these can be downloaded as .po files for use in an individual Arches implementation.
  • The Arches Project Forum.  Search the Forum (tag: #translation) for existing posts about Arches translations, or create a post asking the community for input.

Community Tool for Arches Translations

Weblate is an open source replacement for the translation tool that was previously utilized by the Arches Project. Migrating to an open source platform is better aligned with the ethos of the Arches Project, and Weblate is robust in functionality and easy to use.

Arches Documentation features detailed information on joining the Arches Project on Weblate as well as a guide to facilitating translations.

Last updated: June 2026