Language Support internals

Overview

Runtime language switching for the bpmn-js / dmn-js modeler UI is implemented as a standalone library (libs/bpmn-i18n/) exposing a bpmn-js DI module (TranslateModule) and a translation service (CustomTranslator). The extension host pushes the active locale; the webview re-imports the current diagram to force bpmn-js to re-evaluate every translate() call.

See the user-facing Language Support page for the list of supported locales and how to switch at runtime.

System overview

Component	Role
libs/bpmn-i18n/	Translation library — dictionaries, CustomTranslator, TranslateModule
libs/bpmn-i18n/src/languages/{locale}/	Per-locale dictionary files (bpmn-js, dmn-js, properties-panel, other)
apps/vscode-plugin/src/shared/infrastructure/VsCodeSettings.ts	Reads the miragon.bpmnModeler.language setting
apps/bpmn-webview/src/main.ts	Handles LanguageQuery, triggers refreshDiagram()

CustomTranslator looks up UI strings in per-locale dictionaries and supports {param} placeholder substitution (e.g. "Append {type}" → "Ajouter {type}"). The active locale is switched at runtime via setLanguage(locale).

TranslateModule registers CustomTranslator as an __init__ service and exposes it under the customTranslator and translate DI keys.

Entry points

• Host side — SettingsParticipant subscribes BpmnSettingsBroadcaster for each opened BPMN editor. The broadcaster watches configuration changes for miragon.bpmnModeler.language and pushes a LanguageQuery to that webview via its own setLanguage(). The initial locale is pushed when the webview requests settings on load (GetBpmnModelerSettingCommand).
• Webview side — apps/bpmn-webview/src/main.ts handles LanguageQuery, calls CustomTranslator.setLanguage(locale), and triggers refreshDiagram().

Key files

File	Purpose
libs/bpmn-i18n/src/TranslateModule.ts	CustomTranslator class and DI module
libs/bpmn-i18n/src/languages/index.ts	Locale registry, supportedLanguages array, dictionaries map
libs/bpmn-i18n/src/languages/{locale}/	Per-locale translation dictionaries (four files each)
libs/shared/src/lib/modeler.ts	LanguageQuery message type
apps/vscode-plugin/package.json	Setting and command definitions
apps/vscode-plugin/src/shared/infrastructure/VsCodeSettings.ts	getLanguage() setting reader
apps/vscode-plugin/src/modeler/bpmn/controller/editor-participants/SettingsParticipant.ts	Subscribes the settings broadcaster per opened BPMN editor
apps/vscode-plugin/src/modeler/bpmn/service/BpmnSettingsBroadcaster.ts	Watches the language setting; setLanguage() sends LanguageQuery to the webview
apps/vscode-plugin/src/modeler/bpmn/controller/CommandController.ts	changeLanguage command handler (QuickPick)
apps/bpmn-webview/src/main.ts	LanguageQuery handler, refreshDiagram()
apps/bpmn-webview/src/app/modeler.ts	BpmnModeler.create() accepts TranslateModule

Message protocol

Message	Direction	Payload
LanguageQuery	host → webview	{ locale: SupportedLocale }

There is no webview → host message — the host always pushes the current locale.

Interaction flow

Dictionary structure

Each locale has its own directory under libs/bpmn-i18n/src/languages/{locale}/ with four translation files:

File	Scope
bpmn-js.ts	bpmn-js modeler UI (palette, context pad, labels)
dmn-js.ts	dmn-js modeler UI
properties-panel.ts	Properties panel labels and descriptions
other.ts	Miscellaneous UI strings

Each file exports a Record<string, string> mapping English source text to translated text. The locale's index.ts merges all four into a single dictionary. All dictionaries are cached in a dictionaries map for fast lookup.

Adding a new language

1. Create a new directory under libs/bpmn-i18n/src/languages/{locale}/ with the four translation files. Copy an existing locale (e.g. en/) as a template.
2. Export the merged dictionary from libs/bpmn-i18n/src/languages/{locale}/index.ts.
3. Register the new locale in libs/bpmn-i18n/src/languages/index.ts:
   • Add it to the SupportedLocale union type.
   • Add an entry to the supportedLanguages array with the locale code and display label.
   • Add it to the dictionaries map.
4. Add the locale to the enum and enumItemLabels arrays in apps/vscode-plugin/package.json under the miragon.bpmnModeler.language setting definition.

Gotchas

• Diagram re-import is required on language change. Already-rendered UI elements (palette entries, context pad items) retain their original text — re-importing forces bpmn-js to call translate() again for every label.
• Four files per locale, four places to register. If you add a string to bpmn-js.ts for one locale and forget the others, that string falls through to the English source (the identity mapping) — silent divergence.
• Viewport must be saved and restored around the re-import, otherwise the user is scrolled back to the diagram origin on every language change.

Related

• bpmn-js Translate — the upstream contract CustomTranslator implements
• Architecture overview — DI module + message contract primer