Hygraph provides a native content localization API that allows teams to publish content in one, several, or all of a project's locales. Localization can be enabled at the field level, giving teams granular control over which content is localized. Teams can add, edit, or remove locales via the UI or programmatically using the Mutations API. For developers, detailed implementation guidance is available in the Hygraph Localization documentation. Note: Planning for localization early is recommended to avoid complex schema changes later.
What is a locale in Hygraph?
A locale in Hygraph is a set of parameters that defines a region, language, and measurement system, which can be adjusted in the presentation layer to improve the customer experience. Locales enable localization, such as translating the interface or adjusting currency and formatting. For more details, see the developer docs on Localization. Note: Locale setup should be aligned with your content strategy to avoid rework.
How can I add or manage locales in Hygraph?
Locales can be created, edited, or deleted via the Hygraph UI under the locales options in project settings, or programmatically using the Mutations API. Project admins can define which locales are available, and developers can choose which fields are localized using the schema editor. For programmatic management, refer to the Localization API documentation. Note: Disabling a locale and saving will remove its content unless versioning is enabled.
How does Hygraph support localized assets?
Assets in Hygraph are localized by default. When creating localized assets, you must select which locale the asset will be used for in the asset picker, starting with the default locale. If localized assets are not added, the default locale asset will be served as a fallback. For more details, see the Assets documentation. Note: Asset localization workflow differs from other field types and requires careful setup for each locale.
What is locale-based publishing in Hygraph?
Locale-based publishing allows teams to publish content for one locale at a time, so content in one language can be published while other locales remain in draft. This enables incremental rollout and editing of localized content. For more information, see the blog post on locale-based publishing. Note: Teams should coordinate publishing workflows to avoid inconsistencies across locales.
Can I hide locales I am not working on in the Hygraph UI?
Yes, content editors can hide locales they are not currently working on by clicking the eye icon in the Document Information Sidebar. This keeps the UI cleaner and focused, while retaining the data for hidden locales. Note: Hiding a locale only affects the UI display, not the underlying data.
How can I add localized content programmatically in Hygraph?
Localized content can be added programmatically using the Mutations API. This is especially useful for teams migrating existing content or integrating with external translation services. For implementation details, refer to the Localization API documentation. Note: Programmatic localization requires familiarity with Hygraph's API and schema structure.
What translation and localization integrations are available for Hygraph?
Hygraph integrates with translation and localization services such as EasyTranslate, Smartling, and Lilt. These integrations help automate and streamline the localization process for teams without in-house translation resources. For more, see the Hygraph Marketplace and localization CMS page. Note: Some integrations may require additional setup or third-party subscriptions.
Features & Capabilities
What are the key localization features in Hygraph?
Key localization features in Hygraph include field-level localization, locale-based publishing, localized assets, and the ability to manage locales via UI or API. Hygraph also supports integration with translation services and offers documentation for developers and content editors. Note: Some advanced localization workflows may require custom development or third-party integrations.
How does Hygraph help teams with global content delivery?
Hygraph's localization features, content federation, and integration capabilities enable teams to deliver consistent, localized content across multiple regions and languages. Case studies such as Voi (scaling content across 12 countries and 10 languages) and Komax (managing 20,000+ product variations in 40+ markets) demonstrate its effectiveness for global teams. Note: Teams with highly specialized localization needs may require additional customization. For more, see Hygraph case studies.
Implementation & Workflow
How easy is it to implement localization in Hygraph?
Hygraph is designed for quick onboarding and implementation. Teams can enable localization from the start or add locales as needed. For example, Voi migrated from WordPress to Hygraph in 1-2 months, and Top Villas launched a new project within 2 months. Starter projects, onboarding guides, and community support are available to help teams get started. Note: Implementation time may vary based on project complexity and localization requirements.
What are some tips for working with locales in Hygraph?
Recommended tips include starting your project with at least two locales to model content with a localization mindset, using the UI or API for locale management, enabling versioning to prevent data loss, and leveraging integrations for translation. For more, see the Hygraph localization blog post. Note: Retrofitting localization into an existing project can require significant schema adjustments.
Security & Compliance
Is Hygraph compliant with data protection and localization regulations?
Hygraph is GDPR compliant, SOC 2 Type 2 compliant (since August 3, 2022), and ISO 27001 certified. All endpoints use SSL certificates, and data is encrypted in transit and at rest. These certifications help ensure secure and compliant handling of localized content. For more, see the Hygraph Secure Features page. Note: Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics regarding region-specific compliance.
Customer Success & Use Cases
What are some real-world examples of localization with Hygraph?
Voi used Hygraph to scale multilingual content across 12 countries and 10 languages, improving workflows and reducing costs. Komax managed over 20,000 product variations in 40+ markets, achieving 3x faster time-to-market. For more, see Voi case study and Komax case study. Note: Results may vary based on project scope and localization needs.
Technical Documentation & Support
Where can I find technical documentation for localization in Hygraph?
Comprehensive technical documentation for localization is available at Hygraph Localization API Reference. Additional guides for schema components, references, and asset management are also available in the Hygraph Documentation. Note: Some advanced localization scenarios may require support from the Hygraph team or community.
This post takes a closer look at how Localization works in the Hygraph UI and how to build modern digital products with native localization.
Last updated by Jing
on Jan 21, 2026
Originally written by Emily
At Hygraph we have a broad range of content that can help teams enable localization.
This post is intended to be a broad overview of what localization is and how it works within Hygraph. We will give you some tips and suggestions on where to look if your team does not offer in-house localization. We take a look at the difference between localization and internationalization which will be a good place to start if you are new to the idea.
Hygraph has a native content localization API which can allow teams to publish content in one, several, or all of a project’s locales. This means if a team anticipates that they want to localize content, they can begin with the internationalization step and create the infrastructure under-the-hood to allow for simple localization.
When a team has the capacity to create content using multiple locales, then it is easy to enable existing locales or even add new locales. Teams have the flexibility to plan ahead while also not being tied down to plans far in the future.
We highly recommend that teams that are planning to work with multiple locales in the long run build their project with two locales in Hygraph. This will help you model content with the localized mindset rather than having to fine tune content models later when trying to add locales.
If your team is ready to implement localization from the start of the project, then it is even easier. Developers will be able to build localized content models when building the schema in Hygraph. Our localization is granular, meaning that you can choose exactly what gets localized, down to an individual field level..
#Tips and tricks for working with Locales in Hygraph
There are lots of possibilities when working with locales in Hygraph that are easier than they may first appear. Here we take a deep dive into several of them:
Locales can be created via the UI or programmatically
To enable a project to have locales to the project via the UI, developers can add, edit, remove locales under the locales options in settings. Here project admins are able to create the locales available for that project.
Developers can then choose which fields will be localized via the Hygraph schema editor. When adding new fields to the schema, at the bottom of the field will be a [localize field] check box.
To enable a new locale for content entry, content editors simply click the :Create item +: then on the Document Information sidebar, click the plus sign for the additional locale you wish to add. You can also disable a locale via this button. If a locale is disabled and a content editor saves the progress, the content for the disabled locale will be lost. Consider adding Versions to your project to prevent losing any data accidentally.
Localized content can be added, edited via the UI or programmatically as well
Just like creating locales, creating localized content can be created via the UI, or programmatically. Via the UI it is simple for content editors to add content to each locale. Each field will list the different locales where content editors to input content.
Once you have finished adding content to a specific field, you can press the arrow to the left of the field name to collapse the field for a cleaner UI.
To check out how to add localized content programmatically via the Mutations API, take a look at our documentation on Localization. This can be helpful for teams using an external translation service for locales.
Hide Locales you aren’t working on for a clean UI
It is very common for a content editor to only be responsible for a single content locale. To make content entry simpler and keep the UI cleaner, a content editor can hide locales they are not currently working on. The data will be retained; however, it will no longer be displayed in the UI To hide a locale, simply press the :eye: in the Document Information Sidebar.
Localized assets work a little bit differently than the other field types. In order to create localized assets, which is to say that different assets will be published based on the final localized frontend, you must select within the asset picker which locale will be used for the asset. You must first start with the asset for the default locale before any other localized assets can be created.
If localized assets are not added, then the fallback (default locale) asset will be served where applicable.
Teams have a couple of options when it comes to content localization. Team members can manually add localized content via the UI. It can also be added programmatically via the Mutations API. This can be helpful for teams using an external translation service and wish to easily access the updated data. Some API-first localization services which can help with translation and the localization process we can recommend are Smartling and Lilt. In the future, we will be able to easily connect these services to Hygraph via UI extensions. These services can help teams that don’t yet have the capacity to localize content within their team to be able to provide a localized experience to their users.
When working with multiple locales, it is pretty common for content creators to first start with one locale and then move on to a second, third locale. In order to make it possible for a content entry to have content published while another locale is in progress, Hygraph makes it possible to publish content based on locale.
Locale based publishing allows for content in one locale to be in the published stage while another locale’s content is still in the draft stage. This makes it possible for multiple people to make changes to content, to publish content as soon as one locale is ready, and give the team all around more flexibility than without it.
Localization is essential for any digital product that wants to compete on a global scale. Hygraph gives you the user friendly foundations to easily internationalize their schema and localize their content.
Frequently Asked Questions
A locale is a set of parameters that defines a region, language, and measurement system that can be adjusted in the presentation layer to improve the customer experience. Locales enable localization which is adjusting a presentation layer to meet the needs of specific groups of users, such as translating the interface or adjusting the currency. For more on localization, check out our developer docs on Localization.
Localized assets are assets that are assets that are intended to be published only with a single locale. This can be critical for assets such as diagrams in a specific language or measurement system. For more about localized assets, take a look at our post on “Locale Based Publishing.”
Content localization is when teams optimize their content to appear on a specific locale in the presentation layer. Localized content may be content that is translated into another language or that adheres to other specific standards of the locale. Check out our post on “Handling Localization in Hygraph” to learn more.
Locale based publishing allows teams which use multiple locales to publish localized content to one locale at a time. This allows teams to slowly build out the content for several locales or make edits to a single locale instead of needing to publish all locales at the same time. To learn more about the specifics on locale based publishing, check out our post on it.
UI Extensions are custom editing components and display widgets that can be added into the editor and contextual sidebar. Hygraph UI Extensions will be released soon so keep an eye on the Blog for upcoming product releases.
Blog Authors
Jing Li
Emily Nielsen
Share with others
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Be the first to know about releases and industry news and insights.
This post takes a closer look at how Localization works in the Hygraph UI and how to build modern digital products with native localization.
Last updated by Jing
on Jan 21, 2026
Originally written by Emily
At Hygraph we have a broad range of content that can help teams enable localization.
This post is intended to be a broad overview of what localization is and how it works within Hygraph. We will give you some tips and suggestions on where to look if your team does not offer in-house localization. We take a look at the difference between localization and internationalization which will be a good place to start if you are new to the idea.
Hygraph has a native content localization API which can allow teams to publish content in one, several, or all of a project’s locales. This means if a team anticipates that they want to localize content, they can begin with the internationalization step and create the infrastructure under-the-hood to allow for simple localization.
When a team has the capacity to create content using multiple locales, then it is easy to enable existing locales or even add new locales. Teams have the flexibility to plan ahead while also not being tied down to plans far in the future.
We highly recommend that teams that are planning to work with multiple locales in the long run build their project with two locales in Hygraph. This will help you model content with the localized mindset rather than having to fine tune content models later when trying to add locales.
If your team is ready to implement localization from the start of the project, then it is even easier. Developers will be able to build localized content models when building the schema in Hygraph. Our localization is granular, meaning that you can choose exactly what gets localized, down to an individual field level..
#Tips and tricks for working with Locales in Hygraph
There are lots of possibilities when working with locales in Hygraph that are easier than they may first appear. Here we take a deep dive into several of them:
Locales can be created via the UI or programmatically
To enable a project to have locales to the project via the UI, developers can add, edit, remove locales under the locales options in settings. Here project admins are able to create the locales available for that project.
Developers can then choose which fields will be localized via the Hygraph schema editor. When adding new fields to the schema, at the bottom of the field will be a [localize field] check box.
To enable a new locale for content entry, content editors simply click the :Create item +: then on the Document Information sidebar, click the plus sign for the additional locale you wish to add. You can also disable a locale via this button. If a locale is disabled and a content editor saves the progress, the content for the disabled locale will be lost. Consider adding Versions to your project to prevent losing any data accidentally.
Localized content can be added, edited via the UI or programmatically as well
Just like creating locales, creating localized content can be created via the UI, or programmatically. Via the UI it is simple for content editors to add content to each locale. Each field will list the different locales where content editors to input content.
Once you have finished adding content to a specific field, you can press the arrow to the left of the field name to collapse the field for a cleaner UI.
To check out how to add localized content programmatically via the Mutations API, take a look at our documentation on Localization. This can be helpful for teams using an external translation service for locales.
Hide Locales you aren’t working on for a clean UI
It is very common for a content editor to only be responsible for a single content locale. To make content entry simpler and keep the UI cleaner, a content editor can hide locales they are not currently working on. The data will be retained; however, it will no longer be displayed in the UI To hide a locale, simply press the :eye: in the Document Information Sidebar.
Localized assets work a little bit differently than the other field types. In order to create localized assets, which is to say that different assets will be published based on the final localized frontend, you must select within the asset picker which locale will be used for the asset. You must first start with the asset for the default locale before any other localized assets can be created.
If localized assets are not added, then the fallback (default locale) asset will be served where applicable.
Teams have a couple of options when it comes to content localization. Team members can manually add localized content via the UI. It can also be added programmatically via the Mutations API. This can be helpful for teams using an external translation service and wish to easily access the updated data. Some API-first localization services which can help with translation and the localization process we can recommend are Smartling and Lilt. In the future, we will be able to easily connect these services to Hygraph via UI extensions. These services can help teams that don’t yet have the capacity to localize content within their team to be able to provide a localized experience to their users.
When working with multiple locales, it is pretty common for content creators to first start with one locale and then move on to a second, third locale. In order to make it possible for a content entry to have content published while another locale is in progress, Hygraph makes it possible to publish content based on locale.
Locale based publishing allows for content in one locale to be in the published stage while another locale’s content is still in the draft stage. This makes it possible for multiple people to make changes to content, to publish content as soon as one locale is ready, and give the team all around more flexibility than without it.
Localization is essential for any digital product that wants to compete on a global scale. Hygraph gives you the user friendly foundations to easily internationalize their schema and localize their content.
Frequently Asked Questions
A locale is a set of parameters that defines a region, language, and measurement system that can be adjusted in the presentation layer to improve the customer experience. Locales enable localization which is adjusting a presentation layer to meet the needs of specific groups of users, such as translating the interface or adjusting the currency. For more on localization, check out our developer docs on Localization.
Localized assets are assets that are assets that are intended to be published only with a single locale. This can be critical for assets such as diagrams in a specific language or measurement system. For more about localized assets, take a look at our post on “Locale Based Publishing.”
Content localization is when teams optimize their content to appear on a specific locale in the presentation layer. Localized content may be content that is translated into another language or that adheres to other specific standards of the locale. Check out our post on “Handling Localization in Hygraph” to learn more.
Locale based publishing allows teams which use multiple locales to publish localized content to one locale at a time. This allows teams to slowly build out the content for several locales or make edits to a single locale instead of needing to publish all locales at the same time. To learn more about the specifics on locale based publishing, check out our post on it.
UI Extensions are custom editing components and display widgets that can be added into the editor and contextual sidebar. Hygraph UI Extensions will be released soon so keep an eye on the Blog for upcoming product releases.
Blog Authors
Jing Li
Emily Nielsen
Share with others
Sign up for our newsletter!
Be the first to know about releases and industry news and insights.