[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #26773: Proper language system for plugins and themes

[WordPress Trac]

#26773: Proper language system for plugins and themes
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 Reporter:  Daedalon     |      Owner:
     Type:  enhancement  |     Status:  new
 Priority:  normal       |  Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  Plugins      |    Version:  3.8
 Severity:  normal       |   Keywords:
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 The plugin and theme system needs an overhaul for languages. It's common
 for any plugin to include dozens of language files, of which users will
 use on average only one, leading to wasted disk space and bandwidth. This
 is a pain especially with backups.
 '''
 How it works now'''

 1. User installs a plugin (or theme).
 2. Numerous languages are downloaded and installed for the plugin.
 3. Of them, only one will be used.
 4. The rest of the language files will sit idle, eating disk space.
 Sometimes over half of the plugin's size.
 5. Languages for a plugin cannot be automatically updated without a plugin
 update.

 '''How it should work'''

 1. User installs a plugin (or theme).
 2. WordPress downloads only the needed language files. For this,
 wordpress.org has provided a standardized way to host them at e.g. Trac.
 3. No disk space wasted.
 4. No bandwidth wasted.
 5. WordPress checks periodically if any plugin or theme has updates for
 the used language(s).

 '''References'''

 http://wordpress.org/support/topic/reduce-plugin-size-download-only-
 needed-languages

 http://wordpress.org/support/topic/reduce-plugin-size-download-only-
 needed-languages-1

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/26773>
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