Translate once.
Serve from memory.
New text can be translated through a configured LM Studio worker. Once ready, the localized value becomes a hot-cache lookup instead of repeated model work.
Local-first · Go · HTTP
Make every interface
speak locally.
i18n is a universal localization daemon written in Go. It turns translation into local infrastructure: AI-assisted when a phrase is new, hot-cache fast when it is not, with speech generation and an operations portal built in.
Sponsorship funds continued development and does NOT grant access period. The project converts to Apache 2.0 on November 11, 2044. — 2 Corinthians 9:6
Translate from your application
GET /en_US?text=A%2030%20second%20recording%20of%20your%20voice%20is%20required%20and%20i18n%20does%20the%20rest.
200 · cacheable text response
Eine 30-sekündige Sprachaufnahme ist erforderlich, und i18n erledigt den Rest.
hot cache
AI only on miss
TTS available
Air-gap ready
No cloud required
Framework neutral
PHP · Ruby · TS · Python
Try it out!
Built with a purpose beyond infrastructure
The technology is being developed to support Play and Prosper’s work making patient information more localized and accessible while serving children with disabilities alongside Dr. Ajzenman’s clinical work. Dr. Ajzenman uses i18n in order to provide discipline specific, localization of her treatment approach to patients worldwide. Not every patient is a native English speaker. i18n helps Dr. Ajzenman connect with these patients closer. They read and listen to native speech compiled and rendered by i18n in Dr Ajzenman's voice. At home, the patients build a stronger connection to their therapist having this personalized localized experience accessible to them from the convenience of their couch.
Visit Play and Prosper
What is i18n? It shortens 18 letters between the i and the n in internationalization.
Translation should be infrastructure, not a page-load tax.
i18n was built for use with local uncensored models. Public AI may change what you meant to say because of its training guardrails. When you rely on your client to translate your content, you give up control over what they see on your site. With i18n software, you take ownership of this critical information infrastructure gap. Translations are handled one at a time and cached for immediate access to high load websites.
Translate once.
Framework neutral
Anything that can talk HTTP can consume it. The project documents integrations for PHP and Ruby while keeping the daemon independent from the frontend stack. This is your chance to sponsor i18n and get your language and framework integrated!
Text + speech
Translations can pair with locally rendered audio through Voicebox, with optional WAV-to-MP3 transcoding through ffmpeg. Each key gets translated 28 times with 28 wav files and if transcoding is enabled, 28 mp3 files where the wav files get purged.
Run disconnected
The daemon, local model worker, TTS engine, cache, and portal can operate without an internet connection for air-gapped environments.
Simple at the template.
<h1>
<?= i18n::__(" My Website Title"); ?>
</h1>The complexity lives behind the service boundary so application templates can stay ordinary.
ARCHITECTURE
One binary.
One binary.
Four jobs.
The README describes a runtime that combines the localization API, management UI, audio generation, and transcoding into one deployable Go application.
i18n
Go runtime
HTTP daemon
:8888
Translation, metadata, health, and metrics-facing application service.
Management portal
:4444
Live dashboard, records, trash, logs, runtime monitor, and configuration visibility.
TTS pipeline
-compile-audio
Render localized speech through one or more Voicebox workers.
Transcoding
-transcode
Convert generated WAV assets into compact MP3 files using ffmpeg.
Bring your stack
PHPRubyTypeScriptPythonRailsPrometheusGrafanaVoiceboxLM Studio
GETTING STARTED
Local service.
Local service.
Tiny interface.
Purchase a minor version and a signed download link is emailed to you. Drop the binary on the host, run it, and application code speaks to the daemon over localhost.
Sponsors enable long term support of the i18n Software. Source is confidential and not redistributable.
Documentation# use the signed link emailed after purchase
curl -fsSL "$I18N_DOWNLOAD_URL" -o i18n
# verify against the SHA256 shown on your order page
shasum -a 256 i18n
chmod +x i18n
sudo mv i18n /usr/local/bin/i18n
# macOS / Linux
i18n -serve -transcode
OPERATIONS
You can see what
You can see what
the daemon is doing.
i18n includes a local management portal for translation queues, cached records, audio jobs, host health, garbage collection, and runtime metrics. Prometheus-compatible metrics are also exposed from the daemon.
LIVE IN THE WILDNot a prototype.
Not a prototype.
Already serving real people.
i18n is not being built around a hypothetical need. These organizations and projects use it in live environments today. Sponsoring them helps support the work they do while demonstrating what local-first localization looks like outside a laboratory.
Retired in 2020Sawmill & Woodlot Magazine
Sawmill and Woodlot Management Magazine was started in the fall of 1997 and shut down in 2020 during the pandemic. Andrei Merlescu was hired as a web design intern following his back to back victory winning Gold in the SkillsUSA Maine Web Design competition and placing 8th in the Nation in 2005. Sawmillmag.com was the first website published and deployed by Mr Merlescu. Mr Merlescu developed the php-avc and i18n frameworks over the last 15 years internally for this website.
Live Since 2026Play and Prosper Therapy
Patient-facing multilingual content powered by i18n in a live clinical environment. Dr Heather Ajzenman started the pediatric occupational therapy practice in February 2020, a month before the pandemic started. Play and Prosper Therapy specializes in DIRFloortime® and Hippotherapy using Equine Assisted Treatment for Complex Needs Children. The practice operates in two states and plans on expanding to the entire nation, then to Romania, then the rest of the world. Localization is key to that international plan.
Running in real applications today
Every featured deployment is an example of the same i18n service described above operating outside this demonstration site.
Own the bridge you build.
Help make local-first localization useful where it matters.
For only $39.99 per minor version, you can begin owning your i18n infrastructure and seriously tackle this problem space with elegance and charm.