langcodec-cli (Command Line)

Universal CLI for converting, inspecting, merging, and editing localization files.

• Formats: Apple .strings, .xcstrings, Android strings.xml, CSV, TSV
• Commands: convert, diff, merge, sync, view, stats, debug, edit, normalize

Install

cargo install langcodec-cli

Commands

convert

langcodec convert -i input.strings -o strings.xml
langcodec convert -i input.csv -o output.xcstrings --source-language en --version 1.0

Auto-detects formats from extensions. For JSON/YAML custom formats, see --input-format in the root README.

merge

langcodec merge -i a.strings -i b.strings -o merged.strings --lang en --strategy last

diff

Compare source file A against target file B.

langcodec diff --source A.xcstrings --target B.xcstrings
langcodec diff --source A.csv --target B.csv --json --output diff_report.json

Outputs added/removed/changed keys by language.

sync

Sync values from source file A into existing keys in target file B. This command updates only keys that already exist in target.

langcodec sync --source A.xcstrings --target B.xcstrings --match-lang en
langcodec sync --source source.csv --target target.csv --output synced.csv --match-lang en

Matching rules:

• key-to-key match first
• fallback: use --match-lang translation (default inferred/en) to match source entries
• never adds new keys to target

CI-oriented options:

• --report-json <path> write sync summary as JSON
• --fail-on-unmatched return non-zero when unmatched entries exist
• --fail-on-ambiguous return non-zero when fallback matching is ambiguous

view

langcodec view -i values/strings.xml --full

Prints entries. Plurals are labeled with Type: Plural and show categories.

stats

langcodec stats -i values/strings.xml
langcodec stats -i Localizable.xcstrings --json

Shows per-language totals, counts by status, and completion percent (excludes DoNotTranslate). Use --json for machine-readable output.

debug

langcodec debug -i input.strings --lang en -o output.json

edit

Unified in-place editing (add/update/remove) across one or many files.

Basics:

# Add or update a key
langcodec edit set -i en.strings -k welcome -v "Hello" --status translated --comment "Shown on home"

# Remove a key (omit or empty value)
langcodec edit set -i en.strings -k welcome
langcodec edit set -i en.strings -k welcome -v ""

# Multiple files or globs (quote patterns)
langcodec edit set -i 'locales/**/*.strings' -k app_name -v "My App"
langcodec edit set -i a.strings -i b.strings -k welcome -v "Hello"

# Preview only
langcodec edit set -i en.strings -k welcome -v "Hello" --dry-run

# Write to a different file (single input only)
langcodec edit set -i en.strings -k welcome -v "Hello" -o out.strings

Options:

• --inputs/-i: One or more input files. Supports glob patterns when quoted.
• --lang/-l: Language code (required when an input contains multiple languages).
• --key/-k: Entry key to modify.
• --value/-v: New value. If omitted or empty, the entry is removed.
• --comment: Optional translator note.
• --status: translated|needs_review|new|do_not_translate|stale.
• --output/-o: Optional output path. Not allowed with multiple inputs.
• --dry-run: Print what would change and exit without writing.
• --continue-on-error: Process all inputs; report failures at the end (non-zero exit if any fail).

Supported formats: .strings, .xml (Android), .xcstrings, .csv, .tsv. Custom JSON/YAML/.langcodec edit is currently not enabled.

normalize

Normalize localization files in-place (or to --output in single-input mode).

# Normalize in-place
langcodec normalize -i en.lproj/Localizable.strings

# CI drift check (non-zero if any file would change)
langcodec normalize -i 'locales/**/*.{strings,xml,csv,tsv,xcstrings}' --check

# Preview without writing
langcodec normalize -i values/strings.xml --dry-run

# Disable placeholder normalization and rename keys to snake_case
langcodec normalize -i Localizable.xcstrings --no-placeholders --key-style snake

# Keep processing remaining files and summarize failures at the end
langcodec normalize -i a.strings -i b.csv -i c.tsv --continue-on-error

Options and behavior:

• --check: Detects normalization drift and exits non-zero when a file would change.
• --dry-run: Prints what would change and exits without writing files.
• --no-placeholders: Skips placeholder canonicalization (for example %@ → %s).
• --key-style: Renames keys during normalization. Values: none (default), snake, kebab, camel.
• --output/-o: Single-input mode only. If multiple inputs are provided, --output is rejected.
• --continue-on-error: Continues processing all matched inputs, prints a summary, and exits non-zero if any file failed.
• --inputs/-i: One or more files, including quoted glob patterns.

Supported normalize formats: .strings, Android strings.xml, .csv, .tsv, .xcstrings.

Notes

• Android plurals <plurals> are supported.
• Language inference: en.lproj/Localizable.strings, values-es/strings.xml, base values/ → en by default.
• Globbing: use quotes for patterns in merge and edit (e.g., '**/*.xml').
• Global strict mode: add --strict before any subcommand to disable parser fallbacks and enforce stricter failures.

License

MIT