localization

Localization is part of feature implementation.

Mandatory discovery

Before editing:

1. identify the affected en-US owner file
2. search exact, old, alternative, and proposed keys
3. identify the existing owner file for the feature
4. inspect ru-RU only when requested or when diagnosing a Russian-specific issue
5. inspect code, XAML, prototypes, and maps using the keys

Never invent a path from a repository or module name. Preserve exact underscores, casing, grouping, and relative paths.

English is the source of truth

English defines key identity, attributes, variables, selectors, file placement, section grouping, and message order.

When English changes:

• leave ru-RU untouched by default, including during English additions, removals, renames, moves, or reordering
• update the affected Russian entries only when explicitly requested, preserving the key contract and ordering
• preserve the English contract when editing English
• when Russian is requested, match changed attributes, variables, selectors, and file moves or renames

When Russian is requested, place new entries consistently with the English structure.

A Russian wording-only correction is permitted when explicitly requested.

Do not flag missing or stale Russian entries during English-only work unless they cause the issue being fixed.

Translation requirements

When Russian is requested, write natural Russian. Do not copy English as a placeholder. Do not use THE(...) or equivalent English grammar markers.

Preserve placeholders, markup, line breaks, and control hints required by code.

Renames and deletions

English remains canonical for translation synchronization, but verify that the English change itself is intentional. Search all references before deleting or renaming a key. Afterward, search for stale variants.

Module safety

Check the candidate owner path against the root locale path and directly relevant module paths to avoid shadowing another owner's FTL file. Search an exact key across plausible load roots only when a duplicate-key check is needed; do not enumerate unrelated locale trees.

Verification

Inspect only the affected English locale file, directly referenced keys, and the final FTL diff. Run a targeted localization validator only when one exists; do not run a full build, YAML linter, or dependency restore for an FTL-only change. Always run git diff --check.