XLIFF
Computer file format to standardize the localizable data process
title: "XLIFF" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["xml-based-standards", "computer-file-formats", "internationalization-and-localization"] description: "Computer file format to standardize the localizable data process" topic_path: "general/xml-based-standards" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XLIFF" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Computer file format to standardize the localizable data process ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox file format"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | XLIFF |
| extension | .xlf |
| mime | before 2.0: application/x-xliff+xml (private), 2.0 and after: application/xliff+xml (standard tree) |
| released | |
| latest release version | 2.2 |
| latest release date | |
| extended from | XML |
| standard | OASIS Standard, also ratified as ISO 21720:2017 |
| url | https://docs.oasis-open.org/xliff/xliff-core/v2.2/xliff-extended-v2.2-part2.html |
| :: |
| name = XLIFF | logo = | icon = | iconcaption = | screenshot = | caption = | extension = .xlf | mime = before 2.0: application/x-xliff+xml (private), 2.0 and after: application/xliff+xml (standard tree) | type code = | uniform type = | conforms to = | magic = | owner = | released = | latest release version = 2.2 | latest release date = | genre = | container for = | contained by = | extended from = XML | extended to = | standard = OASIS Standard, also ratified as ISO 21720:2017 | free = | url = https://docs.oasis-open.org/xliff/xliff-core/v2.2/xliff-extended-v2.2-part2.html
XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format) is an XML-based bitext format created to standardize the way localizable data are passed between and among tools during a localization process and a common format for CAT tool exchange. The XLIFF Technical Committee (TC) first convened at OASIS in December 2001 (first meeting in January 2002), but the first fully ratified version of XLIFF appeared as XLIFF Version 1.2 in February 2008. Its current specification is v2.2 released on 2025-03-13, which is backwards compatible with v2.1 released on 2018-02-13.
The specification is aimed at the localization industry. It specifies elements and attributes to store content extracted from various original file formats and its corresponding translation. The goal was to abstract the localization skills from the engineering skills related to specific formats such as HTML.
XLIFF is part of the Open Architecture for XML Authoring and Localization (OAXAL) reference architecture.
XLIFF 2.0 and higher (the current OASIS ratified format)
The XLIFF Technical Committee (TC) has released XLIFF Version 2.2. Prior to making of the major new version 2.0, feedback was gathered from XLIFF's user community which was integrated into the following generation version of the standard. Two of the primary methods used included compiling a list of extensions used by XLIFF toolmakers, and compiling a list of XLIFF features supported by each XLIFF tool.
- Makers of XLIFF tools have taken advantage of XLIFF's extensibility mechanism in order to implement a number of features. By collecting a list of these extension points and analyzing them for common tasks, the XLIFF TC hopes to improve the XLIFF 2.0 Specification to include mechanisms that will enable the toolmakers to support these features without using extensibility.
- Makers of XLIFF tools have supported different sets of features in the XLIFF 1.2 Specification. By compiling a list of these features, the XLIFF TC hopes to identify areas where the XLIFF 2.0 Specification can be improved to enable toolmakers to more widely support the specification.
On March 13, 2025 XLIFF 2.2 became an OASIS Specification.
On July 2024, XLIFF 2.1 was approved as ISO 21720:2024.
On February 13, 2018 XLIFF 2.1 specification became an OASIS Standard.
In November, 2017 XLIFF 2.0 specification was approved as ISO 21720:2017.
On August 6, 2014 the XLIFF 2.0 specification became an OASIS Standard.
On May 6, 2014, the XLIFF 2.0 specification was moved to Candidate OASIS Standard.
Example of an XLIFF 2.0 document:
::code[lang=xml] Quetzal ::
Quetzal ::code An application to manipulate and process XLIFF documents XLIFF 文書を編集、または処理 するアプリケーションです。 XLIFF Data Manager ::
XLIFF データ・マネージャ
XLIFF 1.2 - legacy format
An XLIFF 1.2 document is composed of one or more elements. Each element corresponds to an original file or source (e.g. database table). A `` contains the source of the localizable data and, once translated, the corresponding localized data for one, and only one, locale.
Localizable data is stored in elements. The element holds a element to store the source text, and a element to store the latest translated text. The `` elements are not mandatory.
::code[lang=xml] Cannot find the file. ::
Fichier non trouvé.
The example below shows an XLIFF document storing text extracted from a Photoshop file (PSD file) and its translation to Japanese:
::code[lang=xml]
Quetzal ::code[lang=en-US] An application to manipulate and process XLIFF documents ::
XLIFF 文書を編集、または処理 するアプリケーションです。 ::code[lang=en-US] XLIFF Data Manager XLIFF データ・マネージャ
::References
References
- "XLIFF Version 2.2".
- "XLIFF TC Charter". OASIS.
- Bert Esselink. (2003). "The Evolution of Localization". Multilingual Computing and Technology.
- "FeatureTracking - XLIFF Wiki".
- "ISO 21720:2024".
- (14 February 2018). "#XLIFF V2.1 becomes an OASIS Standard | OASIS".
- "ISO 21720:2017".
- (6 August 2014). "XLIFF Version 2.0 becomes an OASIS Standard | OASIS".
- "60-day Public Review for XLIFF Version 2.0 Candidate OASIS Standard - en".
- "XLIFF Version 2.0".
- "XLIFF 1.2 Specification".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::