# General Translation React SDKs (gt-react, gt-next, gt-react-native): Internationalizing a React SPA
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-US/docs/react/guides/spa/internationalizing-react-spa.mdx
---
title: Internationalizing a React SPA
description: How to mark JSX and strings for translation in a configured React SPA.
related:
  links:
    - /docs/react/guides/translating-jsx
    - /docs/react/guides/translating-strings
    - /docs/react/guides/formatting-variables
    - /docs/react/guides/handling-plurals-and-branches
---

Once the SPA initializer runs before the application entry, components and
module-level strings can use the active locale immediately. This page collects
the implementation rules that are specific to that startup model.

## Translate JSX [#jsx]

Wrap complete blocks of translatable JSX with the
[`<T>` component](/docs/react/reference/components/t). Keep the structure inside
each block static, and never nest one
[`<T>`](/docs/react/reference/components/t) inside another:

```tsx title="src/components/Welcome.tsx"
import { T, Var } from 'gt-react';

type WelcomeProps = {
  name: string;
};

export default function Welcome({ name }: WelcomeProps) {
  return (
    <T>
      <h1>
        Welcome, <Var>{name}</Var>!
      </h1>
      <p>Your workspace is ready.</p>
    </T>
  );
}
```

Use [`<Var>`](/docs/react/reference/components/var) for unformatted dynamic
values. Use [`<Currency>`](/docs/react/reference/components/currency),
[`<DateTime>`](/docs/react/reference/components/datetime), and
[`<Num>`](/docs/react/reference/components/num) when a value needs locale-aware
formatting.

Conditional content must also have a stable translation structure. Use
[`<Branch>`](/docs/react/reference/components/branch) for named alternatives and
[`<Plural>`](/docs/react/reference/components/plural) for count-dependent text.
Include complete sentences in each branch when the condition changes grammar
outside a single word.

See [Translating JSX](/docs/react/guides/translating-jsx),
[Formatting variables](/docs/react/guides/formatting-variables), and
[Handling plurals and branches](/docs/react/guides/handling-plurals-and-branches)
for complete patterns.

## Translate strings [#strings]

In an initialized SPA, prefer [`t()`](/docs/react/reference/functions/t-function)
for strings. The bootstrap waits for translations before importing the
application, so [`t()`](/docs/react/reference/functions/t-function) also works
at module scope:

```ts title="src/navigation.ts"
import { t } from 'gt-react';

export const navigation = [
  { label: t('Home'), href: '/' },
  { label: t('About'), href: '/about' },
];
```

The source message must be static. Pass dynamic values separately with ICU
syntax:

```ts
import { t } from 'gt-react';

const greeting = t('Hello, {name}!', { name: 'Ada' });
const attendees = t(
  '{count, plural, one {One person is here} other {# people are here}}',
  { count: 3 }
);
```

The SPA locale selector reloads the application after a locale change, so
module-level translations evaluate again in the new locale. See
[Translating strings](/docs/react/guides/translating-strings) for context and
shared-message patterns.

## Add locale selection [#locale-selector]

Add the [`<LocaleSelector>` component](/docs/react/reference/components/locale-selector)
where users choose a language:

```tsx title="src/components/LanguageMenu.tsx"
import { LocaleSelector } from 'gt-react';

export default function LanguageMenu() {
  return <LocaleSelector />;
}
```

It reads the locales configured for the initializer, saves the selection, and
reloads the SPA so module-level translations use the new locale.

## Validate the implementation [#validate]

Check translation syntax after marking content:

```bash
npx gt validate
```

Then run the application's existing typecheck and production build. Fix any
translation syntax, missing locale file, or bundler import errors before
generating translations.

## Next steps

- [Translate JSX](/docs/react/guides/translating-jsx) - Learn component patterns in depth.
- [Translate strings](/docs/react/guides/translating-strings) - Add context and variables to strings.
- [Manage locales](/docs/react/guides/managing-locales) - Configure and switch supported languages.
- [Store translations](/docs/react/guides/storing-translations) - Generate local translation files.

## Next steps

- /docs/react/guides/translating-jsx
- /docs/react/guides/translating-strings
- /docs/react/guides/formatting-variables
- /docs/react/guides/handling-plurals-and-branches