---
title: Translations
description: Customize storefront copy for one deployment, then add translated languages or Shopify Markets when needed.
url: "https://shop-docs.labs.vercel.dev/docs/anatomy/i18n"
docs_index: /llms.txt
lastUpdated: 2026-10-08
---

> For an index of all documentation, see [/llms.txt](/llms.txt).

The default storefront serves one deployment with clean URLs such as `/products/shoe`. It keeps copy alongside components rather than using a translation library. next-intl and language switching are optional upgrades.

## Customize storefront copy

Edit shopper-facing text in the component that displays it. The default storefront has no central translation catalog; labels, messages, and accessibility text are kept with the interface they describe.

After changing a quantity message, check zero, one, and multiple items. Include loading states, empty states, errors, and accessibility labels when reviewing copy.

## Set the deployment context

Set `shopConfig.localization` in `lib/config/index.ts` for the deployment:

```ts
localization: {
  country: "US",
  language: "EN",
  locale: "en-US",
},
```

Country and language configure Shopify requests. Locale controls display formatting, such as numbers and dates. Prices use the currency returned by Shopify; changing a formatting locale does not convert a price.

These settings do not translate the storefront's own labels. Edit copy separately, and publish translated product or editorial content in Shopify when needed. The default does not negotiate a shopper's locale or add locale prefixes to URLs.

## What’s next

Use [Enable i18n](/docs/skills/enable-i18n) to add next-intl, translated catalogs, and locale-prefixed URLs without changing the commerce country. Use [Enable Shopify Markets](/docs/skills/enable-shopify-markets) for regional commerce context and Shopify-controlled pricing. Both upgrades must preserve existing translations and routing in stores that are already localized.

Add a language to navigation only when its fixed copy, interactive messages, plurals, formatting, and error states are ready. A copy-language selector and a commerce-country selector solve different problems; changing language alone should not move a shopper into another market.

---

For a semantic overview of all documentation, see [/sitemap.md](/sitemap.md)

For an index of all available documentation, see [/llms.txt](/llms.txt)

For agent-facing discovery, including API and MCP surfaces, see [/agents.md](/agents.md)