MetaGlot

Platform Metadata Localization Compiler

One POT, all platforms.

MetaGlot is a command-line tool that unifies localization metadata for applications shipped on multiple platforms. It extracts or defines translatable strings from platform-specific metadata files, normalizes them into Gettext-compatible POT/PO catalogs, and compiles translated PO files back into platform-native files.

It currently is designed for projects that ship on Windows, Linux and macOS.

Instead of asking translators to edit platform-specific formats, MetaGlot lets them work with standard Gettext PO files.

Why MetaGlot?

Every platform has its own localization mechanism for application metadata. Windows applications use RC resource files to hold string tables and version resources, Linux applications use .desktop files to describe names and comments, and macOS applications use Info.plist together with localized InfoPlist.strings files.

These formats are necessary for packaging and distribution, but they are inconvenient as translation sources. MetaGlot introduces a common localization layer.

MetaGlot does not replace Gettext. It makes Gettext the canonical translation workflow for platform metadata.

Supported Metadata Types

MetaGlot supports compiling metadata from the following formats:

Platform	Metadata format
Windows	Windows reosurce file .rc
Windows	MSIX manifest (Package.appxmanifest or AppxManifest.xml) and localization files (.resw or .resjson)
Windows	InnoSetup script (.iss) and its localization files (.isl)
Linux	.desktop file
Linux	AppStream XML file (.metainfo.xml)
macOS	Info.plist and its localization files (InfoPlist.strings)

License

MetaGlot is released under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.