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Localization Tester Recipe

The Localization Tester recipe is a specialized recipe that tests your application across different locales to identify visual and content issues specific to internationalization (i18n).

Overview​

This recipe guides ExploreChimp through your SmartTests while systematically testing different locale configurations. The agent analyzes visual appearance, content, and functionality across locales to identify localization-specific problems such as broken translations, RTL layout issues, and text overflow.

What This Recipe Does​

During explorations using this recipe, ExploreChimp:

  • Iterates through locale configurations for each selected SmartTest
  • Navigates along paths defined by SmartTests for each locale variant
  • Changes locale using either browser settings or custom actions (navigating to settings)
  • Analyzes screenshots for locale-specific issues at each screen-state
  • Tags bugs at screen-state level with locale context
  • Builds and updates the Atlas SiteMap with locale-specific information

Types of Bugs Detected​

The Localization Tester recipe identifies the following locale-specific issues:

  1. Broken Translations - Missing text, untranslated strings, or English text appearing in non-English locales
  2. Dangling Template Strings - Visible placeholders like {{variable}}, {0}, %s, etc. that weren't replaced with actual translations
  3. RTL (Right-to-Left) Issues - For Arabic/Hebrew locales: incorrect text direction, misaligned elements, icons positioned on the wrong side
  4. Text Overflow - Labels, buttons, or containers that are too small for translated text
  5. Date/Time/Number Format Issues - Incorrect format for locale (e.g., DD/MM vs MM/DD, wrong decimal separators)
  6. Currency Format Issues - Wrong currency symbol or format for the target locale
  7. Cultural Appropriateness - Content that may be inappropriate for the target culture
  8. Character Encoding Issues - Garbled text, boxes, or question marks instead of proper characters
  9. Text Truncation - Improperly truncated text with ellipsis where full text should be displayed
  10. Text Alignment Issues - Misaligned text or inconsistent alignment in the localized version

Configuration​

When using the Localization Tester recipe, you can configure:

  • SmartTest selection: Choose a specific test or test folder to guide the exploration
  • Locales to test: Enter locale codes (e.g., en-US, es-ES, fr-FR, ar-SA) - you can use any valid locale string
  • Locale Set Strategy: Choose how the locale is applied to your application:
    • Browser Locale (default): The locale is set via Playwright browser settings before the test starts (no agentic intervention)
    • Custom Action: The agent navigates to your app's settings and changes the locale agentically during the test execution
    • Cookie: Set the locale via a cookie before the test starts
    • Local Storage: Set the locale via localStorage after navigation
  • Cookie Configuration (for Cookie strategy):
    • Cookie Name: The name of the cookie that stores the locale preference
    • Cookie Domain: The domain for the cookie (optional)
  • Local Storage Key (for Local Storage strategy): The localStorage key that stores the locale preference
  • Locale Change Instructions (for Custom Action strategy): Optional instructions to help the agent locate and change locale settings in your app
  • Default Viewports: Select which viewport sizes to test across
  • Max credits: Set the maximum number of explorer credits to consume
  • Max journeys: Set the maximum number of journeys to execute (each locale/test combination counts as a journey)
Localization Tester Recipe Configuration
Localization Tester recipe configuration settings

How It Works​

  1. Test Selection: You select a SmartTest or test folder to guide the exploration
  2. Locale Iteration: For each selected test, ExploreChimp runs the test across each configured locale
  3. Locale Application: The locale is applied based on your selected strategy:
    • Browser Locale: The locale is set when the browser context is created, before the journey starts
    • Custom Action: The agent navigates to your app's settings, changes the locale, then returns to the original screen state using context-aware navigation
    • Cookie: The locale cookie is set when the browser context is created, before the journey starts
    • Local Storage: The locale value is set in localStorage after the initial page navigation
  4. Screenshot Analysis: At each screen-state, the agent captures screenshots and analyzes them for all 10 types of locale-specific issues listed above
  5. Bug Reporting: Localization-specific issues are flagged and tagged at the appropriate screen-states with locale context

When to Use This Recipe​

Use the Localization Tester recipe when:

  • Your application supports multiple locales/languages
  • You want to ensure content is properly translated and displayed
  • You need to identify missing translations or template string issues
  • You want to verify that UI layouts work correctly across different languages
  • You're preparing for a localization release or update
  • You need to test RTL (right-to-left) language support

This recipe is essential for applications with international users, ensuring that all locales are properly supported and that content displays correctly regardless of language.