🎯 Understanding Protected Words

The Protected Words feature allows you to specify terms that should never be translated, ensuring brand consistency, technical accuracy, and proper noun preservation in your JSON localization files.

🔒 When to Use Protected Words

3. Proper Nouns

• People names: "John Smith", "Marie Curie"
• Place names: "New York", "Tokyo", "London"
• Organization names: "United Nations", "World Health Organization"

How Protected Words Work

Technical Implementation

When you add a word to the Protected Words list:

1. The system identifies all occurrences in your JSON
2. During translation, these terms are excluded from translation
3. The original text is preserved exactly as written
4. Context and formatting around protected words remain intact

Example Usage

Original JSON:

{
  "welcome": "Welcome to our React application built with Firebase!",
  "features": "Experience the power of our JavaScript SDK"
}

Protected Words: ["React", "Firebase", "JavaScript", "SDK"]

Translated Result:

{
  "welcome": "Bienvenue dans notre application React construite avec Firebase!",
  "features": "Découvrez la puissance de notre SDK JavaScript"
}

Best Practices

1. Strategic Selection

• Only protect terms that genuinely need protection
• Consider cultural context for each target language
• Review and update protected words regularly

2. Case Sensitivity

• Protected words are case-sensitive by default
• Add both "React" and "react" if needed
• Consider adding common variations

3. Context Consideration

• Test how protected words appear in different contexts
• Ensure they don't break sentence structure in other languages
• Review translations to ensure natural flow

Advanced Techniques

1. Pattern Matching

Use protected words strategically for patterns:

• URLs and email addresses
• Phone numbers and addresses
• File paths and system commands

2. Brand Guidelines

• Maintain consistent brand terminology
• Ensure product names remain unchanged
• Preserve trademark symbols and formatting

3. Technical Documentation

• Keep code examples in original language
• Preserve function names and variables
• Maintain API references and endpoints

Implementation Tips

1. Planning Phase

• Create a comprehensive list of terms to protect
• Categorize protected words (brand, technical, proper nouns)
• Establish guidelines for the development team

2. Development Workflow

• Integrate protected words into your translation process
• Update protected words list as new terms are added
• Train team members on proper usage

3. Quality Assurance

• Review all translations for protected word handling
• Test with real content, not placeholder text
• Verify brand consistency across all languages

Common Use Cases

1. E-commerce Applications

• Product names and categories
• Brand names and slogans
• Payment method names

2. SaaS Applications

• Feature names and descriptions
• Integration partner names
• Technical terminology

3. Documentation Sites

• Code examples and syntax
• API references and endpoints
• Technical specifications

Troubleshooting

Protected Words Not Working

• Check exact spelling and capitalization
• Ensure the feature is enabled in your plan
• Verify the word appears in the source text

Over-protection Issues

• Review your protected words list regularly
• Remove terms that don't need protection
• Consider context-specific protection

The Protected Words feature gives you precise control over your translations, ensuring that important terms remain consistent and accurate across all languages.