How do translators work on files without editing the whole app?

Connect the project’s translation files to Weblate. A Git repository is the project folder with a history of changes. Translators work in Weblate’s editor while you review the changes to the language files before they enter the release.

Choose a file format your app can already read. Decide whether the integration writes directly or proposes changes for review. With a supported pull-request integration, keep automatic merge off if you need someone to inspect the exact file changes before merging.

Does turning on review keep draft translations out of commits?

Enable reviews and set the Translation quality filter to Only include approved translations when that is the workflow you want. Enabling reviews alone does not keep unapproved text out of commits. Check every target language. If reviews are disabled for one language, its translations can go into commits without approval even with that filter on.

Suggestions are kept in Weblate until accepted as translations. Accepting a suggestion and approving it for the release are separate steps in a workflow with dedicated reviewers.

How can you rehearse the review without connecting a repository?

Draw a made-up app with one button, two language files and a proposed change. Keep the exercise on paper and do not connect a real project.

Mark a suggestion
Put the new button label in the suggested column. The released file on your sketch should still show the previous wording.
Give the reviewer a check
Mark reviews as enabled for the target language, with no override turning them off. Have the translator accept the suggested label. Ask the reviewer to check that it describes saving a draft and approve it before marking it eligible for the file change.
Compare the file change
Draw a before-and-after view. The translated button label should change and its key should stay the same. Mark who checks it in the app before merging the change.

What does Weblate hosting count, and what can you move?

Hosted Weblate counts text entries, called strings, across the source and target languages. A project with 100 source strings and two target languages counts as 300 hosted strings. Public open-source projects can apply for free hosted service. Self-hosting has no paid software license requirement, but you run and maintain the server.

Keep the released translation files in your own project. If you move to another Weblate instance, a project backup can include suggestions and comments that are not in the language files. The backup omits history, so keep the repository history separately.