- What makes API localisation different from standard technical translation
- Consistent terminology is the real product
- Fitting into the documentation publishing workflow
- Choosing the right review level for each type of content
- How M21Global handles technical documentation localisation
- Related Services
- Frequently Asked Questions
A developer portal in English with untranslated code strings, outdated request examples and an inconsistent glossary loses technical users faster than any marketing mistake ever could. Anyone integrating an API reads the documentation before anything else about the company, and decides within minutes whether to trust the product.
Localising API documentation follows its own rules. It is not the same as translating a user manual or a corporate website. It involves code that must never be translated, terminology that has to stay identical across every endpoint, and a format that changes every time the product team ships a new release.
What makes API localisation different from standard technical translation
A user manual is static. An API reference is alive: it changes every sprint, runs parallel versions (v1, v2, beta) and mixes code blocks with running text. Treating it like a Word document guarantees errors.
Elements that need different handling:
- Code and comments: function names, parameters and return values are never translated. Only explanatory comments inside code are candidates for translation, and only once the engineering team confirms this will not break copyable examples.
- Portal interface strings: buttons, error messages, tooltips. These usually live in separate resource files (JSON, YAML, .po) apart from descriptive text.
- Request and response examples: HTTP headers, JSON field names and status codes stay in English by technical convention, even when surrounding text is in French or Spanish.
- Error messages returned by the API itself: this is a product decision to make before translation starts. Not every team wants localised error strings ending up in production logs.
A team that treats all portal content as uniform text ends up translating parameter names, breaking code examples, or worse, leaving terminology inconsistent between the quickstart guide and the endpoint reference. That forces developers to guess whether "access token" and "API key" mean the same thing.
Consistent terminology is the real product
The value of well-localised API documentation is not in polished prose. It is in predictable terms.
A fixed technical glossary, agreed before the project starts, stops "endpoint" from appearing translated three different ways depending on the page. Terms like rate limit, webhook, payload, token, scope or header need a single translation (or deliberately stay in English) across the whole documentation set, from the authentication guide to the error reference.
This requires shared translation memories (TM) across projects and an incremental update process: when the product team adds a new endpoint, only that block goes to translation, not the whole document. Without properly managed TM and glossary, every API update risks reintroducing inconsistencies that were already fixed.
Fitting into the documentation publishing workflow
Most developer portals run on platforms like Docusaurus, ReadMe, Swagger/OpenAPI, or static site generators tied to a Git repository. Documentation changes with every release, sometimes weekly.
This has direct implications for the localisation process:
- Source files, not PDFs: translation should work directly on the Markdown, YAML or JSON files that feed the site, preserving all markup and template variables.
- Incremental updates: only content changed since the last version goes to translation. This cuts volume and reduces the risk of regressions in sections already validated.
- Post-publication testing: once published, localised documentation needs reviewing in the live environment, because longer strings in German or Spanish can break layouts designed for English.
This technical integration separates a provider that understands SaaS and product work from one that only translates text. The article on ISO 17100 localisation for SaaS platforms covers how a certified process applies to this kind of continuously updated content.
Choosing the right review level for each type of content
Not all API documentation deserves the same investment. An endpoint reference auto-generated from OpenAPI specs, running to hundreds of repetitive pages, carries a different risk profile from an authentication guide or an onboarding tutorial that is the first thing a developer reads.
For high-volume, lower-risk-per-page content such as endpoint catalogues or technical FAQs, machine translation with selective review of the most sensitive sections, the IAH+ model, covers large volume without blocking publication. For authentication guides, acceptable use policies, API terms, or any content that causes support tickets or integration errors when mistranslated, the Standard tier, with a linguist reviewing the full text under ISO 18587, is usually the right balance.
When the developer portal doubles as sales material, for example an API sold to enterprise clients where documentation quality influences the purchase decision, the Estratégica tier, with review by a second linguist (TEP) and an audited ISO 17100 workflow, keeps terminology and tone aligned with the rest of the company's external communication.
How M21Global handles technical documentation localisation
M21Global works directly on the source files of the documentation, with fixed technical glossaries and translation memories shared across updates, so every API release keeps terminology consistent without retranslating content already validated. The team applies the three service tiers according to the risk of each section: IAH+ for high-volume references, Standard for operational guides, Estratégica for content with commercial or contractual weight. All formats keep the original formatting, including full DTP where applicable.
If the company has a developer portal expanding into new markets, request a quote from M21Global and get a response within three business hours.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should code in API documentation examples be translated?
No. Function names, parameters and return values stay in the original language. Only explanatory comments inside code are candidates for translation, and only if they won't break copyable examples.
How do you keep terminology consistent across a large API documentation set?
With a fixed technical glossary agreed before the project starts and translation memories shared across every update, so terms like endpoint, token or webhook always get the same translation.
Does localisation work directly on the portal's Markdown or YAML files?
Yes, that is the recommended approach. Working on source files preserves markup and template variables and makes incremental updates possible with every release.
What service level fits a large endpoint reference?
For high-volume, lower-risk content, machine translation with selective review of sensitive sections is usually efficient. For authentication guides or customer-facing material, full review by a linguist is recommended.
