---json
{
    "canonical": ":semantic:lang",
    "name": "Language",
    "page_id": "7w8jba3xbxyjl8r6jaujx",
    "title": "How to set the language (RTL\/LTR) ?"
}
---
====== How to set the Language (Lang) ? ======


===== About =====

In ComboStrap, you can define a language:
  * for the application: [[:docs:app:lang]] (the default value for all pages)
  * for a page: [[:docs:page:lang]]
  * for a component: [[:docs:styling:lang]]


===== Value =====

The language is identified by a language identifier value known as the ''lang'' [[..:metadata:metadata|metadata]].


It is a 2 letters code that follows the [[https://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/English_list.php|ISO 639-2 specification]] .

Example:
  * ''en'' (English),
  * ''fr'' (French)
  * ''nl'' (Dutch)
  * ''ar'' (Arabic). (See [[#rtlright_to_left_language|Right-to-left language support]])

===== Usage =====

The language identifier is used:
  * in the [[..:locale:locale|locale]] to localize the page for external [[:docs:social:social|social third party]]
  * by the rendering engine to set the language and layout direction.

===== Direction =====
Each language has an intrinsic value that is known as the direction.

^ Direction Value ^ Direction Name ^Description ^ Supported ^
| ''LTR'' | ''left to right'' | You read the text from left to right (Example: English) | Yes |
| ''RTL'' | ''right to left'' | You read the text from right to left (Example: Arabic) | Yes with the default bootstrap theme |
| ''TTB'' | ''top-to-bottom'' | You read the text from top to bottom (Example: Chinese) | No | 


==== RTL ====

We have created a page in ''arabic'' that has a language direction from [[#rtlright_to_left_language|right-to-left (''rtl'')]] See the demo page: [[lang_ar]]

As ''bootswatch'' does not support yet RTL languages, you need to set your [[docs:theme:bootstrap|Bootstrap version at minimal to 5 with the bootstrap theme]].

Example with the version ''5.01 - bootstrap'':

{{:strap:bootstrapversionstylesheet.png|}}