---
title: Schema locale files
description: About schema locale files.
source_url:
  html: >-
    https://shopify.dev/docs/storefronts/themes/architecture/locales/schema-locale-files
  md: >-
    https://shopify.dev/docs/storefronts/themes/architecture/locales/schema-locale-files.md
api_name: liquid
---

# Schema locale files

Schema locale files are JSON files with a `.schema.json` file extension. They host translation strings for various setting schema attributes so that content in the theme editor can be translated to the store's [active language](https://help.shopify.com/manual/online-store/themes/customizing-themes/language/translate-theme#choose-a-language-for-your-theme).

To learn which attributes can be translated, refer to [Content](#content).

***

## Location

Schema locale files are located in the `locales` directory of the theme:

```text
└── theme
  ...
  ├── config
  └── locales
    ├── en.default.schema.json
    ├── es-ES.schema.json
    ...
```

***

## Schema

Schema locale files need to follow a specific [naming structure](#name-structure). They also follow a basic organizational structure:

* **Category**: The top-level category of your translations.
* **Group**: The second level grouping of translations within a category.
* **Description**: The third level, which represents the individual translations.

## Example

```json
{
  "my_category": {
    "my_group": {
      "my_description": "translation text",
      ...
    },
    ...
  },
  ...
}
```

**Tip:**

When naming translation descriptions, try to be descriptive enough to give the translation context. For example, `blogs.article_comment.submit_button_text` gives more context than `blogs.article_comment.submit`.

### Name structure

Locale file naming must follow the standard [IETF language tag nomenclature](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IETF_language_tag), where the first lowercase letter code represents the language, and the second uppercase letter code represents the region.

For example:

| Language | Format |
| - | - |
| English - Great Britain | `en-GB.schema.json` |
| Spanish - Spain | `es-ES.schema.json` |
| French - Canada | `fr-CA.schema.json` |

If a language isn’t region specific, you can use the 2-letter lowercase language representation.

For example:

| Language | Format |
| - | - |
| Finnish - All regions | `fi.schema.json` |

Additionally, you must designate a [default locale file](#the-default-locale-file).

#### The default locale file

You must designate a default locale file in the format of `*.default.schema.json`, where `*` is your selected language. This file contains the translations for the default language of the theme. Only one default file is permitted.

Most themes use `en.default.schema.json`, which sets the default locale of the theme to English.

### Content

Schema locale files allow you to create translations for the following setting attributes:

| Parent | Attribute |
| - | - |
| All settings | `info``label` |
| `settings_schema.json`[Section schema](https://shopify.dev/docs/storefronts/themes/architecture/sections/section-schema)`block` | `name` |
| `select` | `group` |
| `html``number``text``textarea``video_url` | `placeholder` |
| `range` | `unit` |
| `header``paragraph` | `content` |
| `presets` | `name``category` |
| `html``inline_richtext``liquid``richtext``text``textarea``url``video``video_url` | `default` |

***

## Usage

When working with schema locale files, you should familiarize yourself with [referencing schema translations](#reference-schema-translations).

### Reference schema translations

Schema translations can be accessed with code in the the following format:

```text
t:translation_category.translation_group.translation_name
```

For example, to make the `name` attribute of the `product.liquid` section translatable, use the following:

## locales/en.default.schema.json

```json
{
  "sections": {
    "product": {
      "name": "Product"
    }
  }
}
```

## sections/product.liquid

```liquid
{% schema %}
{
  "name": "t:sections.product.name",
  ...
}
{% endschema %}
```

***