I18n standard data formats
When you’re building a product that’s going to be used all over the world, there’s a lot to think about — different languages, currencies, time zones, and more. But before you even start translating text or tweaking designs, you’ve got to make sure everything under the hood is set up to handle the complexities of internationalization. That’s where standardization comes in.
In this post, I’ll walk you through some of the essential international standards that make it possible for technology products to work seamlessly across borders. These are the building blocks that help developers create software that feels at home no matter where it’s being used.
Why Standardization Matters
When you’re dealing with global users, consistency is key. Without standardization, you’re setting yourself up for all sorts of headaches—from data mismatches to broken features. By aligning on universal standards, you ensure that your product can handle different languages, currencies, and other region-specific details without a hitch.
ISO 3166 for Country Codes
Let’s start with country codes. ISO 3166 is the go-to standard for country codes and their subdivisions. These codes are used pretty much everywhere to represent countries accurately and consistently. For example, “US” stands for the United States, “CA” is for Canada, and “IE” represents Ireland.
By sticking to ISO 3166, you’re making sure your system can correctly identify and process country-related data, which is crucial when you’re managing content, settings, or services that vary by region.
ISO 4217 for Currency Codes
Next up is currency. If your product involves any kind of financial transaction, you’ll need to handle multiple currencies.
That’s where ISO 4217 comes in. This standard provides a three-letter code for each currency—like “USD” for the US dollar, “EUR” for the Euro, and “GBP” for the British pound.
Using these standard codes helps keep your financial data clear and accurate, avoiding the kind of confusion that could lead to costly mistakes.
E.164 for Phone Numbers
Phone numbers are another area where standardization is a lifesaver. E.164 is the international standard for formatting phone numbers, ensuring that they can be stored and interpreted consistently no matter where they’re from.
For example,
a phone number in the US would look like +1 555-555-5555, while in the UK, it would be +44 20 7946 0958. By using the standard you are ensuring that all context is available for the number to be accessed anywhere in the world.
By adhering to E.164, you make sure your system can handle phone numbers correctly across the globe, which is essential for effective communication with users.
IANA Timezone Identifiers
Timekeeping might not seem like a big deal until you realize that people around the world are living in different time zones. The IANA timezone database provides standardized timezone identifiers, which allow you to manage time-related data accurately no matter where your users are. Plenty of libraries both front end and back end support using these IDs to calculate offsets from UTC (Universal Time Coordinate) to the users local time.
For instance, “America/New_York” represents Eastern Time in the US, and “Europe/Dublin” represents Dublin’s time zone. By using these identifiers, you can ensure that your app or service runs smoothly no matter what time zone your users are in.
Locale Identifiers (BCP 47)
Finally, let’s talk about locale. To offer a truly localized experience, you need to understand the language and cultural context of each market. BCP 47 is a standard that defines language tags to specify language and locale preferences. For instance, “en-US” represents English as spoken in the United States, while “fr-CA” represents French as spoken in Canada. Implementing these tags allows you to tailor your user interfaces, notifications, and content to meet the specific needs of your users in different regions.
Wrapping Up
Standardization might not be the flashiest part of internationalization, but it’s absolutely essential. By sticking to these international standards — ISO 3166 for country codes, ISO 4217 for currency codes, E.164 for phone numbers, IANA timezone identifiers, and BCP 47 for locale identifiers — you’re laying a solid foundation that will make everything else about going global a whole lot easier. With these building blocks in place, your product will be ready to take on the world—literally.