Arabic internationalization (I18n) can be defined as the process of enabling back-end technologies to function or support the Arabic language and the locales in which it is used. Localization, on the other hand, deals primarily with the front-end or linguistic and cosmetic aspects of an Arabic-language software application or website, including locale-specific content, cultural correctness, translations and design.

Some of the reasons for internationalizing are to ensure your Arabic-language application or website:

• Supports non-English characters and the bidirectional (right-to-left) writing system used in Arabic.
• Sorts based on Arabic language rules.
• Allows the externalization of all translatable text strings (i.e., separating text from code).
• Handles the different address, time, date, and numerical formats used in Arabic.

The process of Arabic internationalization may include the following four steps:

1) Discovery: Includes the preparation of an Arabic internationalization kit and an analysis of the current internationalization readiness of the source website or software application.

2) Assessment: Includes review and analysis of the following:

• Source architecture and source code of a website or software application.
• Global marketing plans and requirements.
• Design, development and build processes.
• Current I18N and localization strategies.

3) Implementation: Includes the following:

• Externalizing text strings for ease of localization.
• Resolving any currency, time, date, or numbers issues.
• Enabling double-byte characters or bidirectional writing.
• Creating an I18n-friendly build methodology.
• Preparing an I18n test plan.
• Preparing a localization kit.
• Carrying out training on I18n.
• Introduction of I18n tools and any required tool training.

4) Testing: Includes client-driven I18n and DBCS-enablement testing, bug reporting/fixing and regression testing.

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