You can set up a WordPress website in any language you want – but you can’t inherently set it up in more than one at a time. This is surprising at first, since WordPress is certainly one of the largest international open source communities and the need for multilingualism is very high. Basically, you can say: The core developers know that there is a great desire on the part of the community for this feature. Therefore, multilingualism is also on the agenda, but a start of implementation is only to be expected in a few years. The reasons for this are manifold, but can be derived from the philosophy of the WordPress project.
WordPress setup should take only 5 minutes
Out of the Box
Multilingualism would noticeably increase complexity, not only for the user, but also for all developers. If multilingualism were part of the core, a large part of the available plugins and themes would probably have to be adapted.
WordPress should remain simple, additional functions within the core should therefore not make the installation, maintenance or use of a WordPress website more difficult, but rather easier. Building complexity is easy, reducing it again afterwards is difficult.
The concept behind multilingualism is therefore more important here than the subsequent implementation.
Multilingualism SHOULD be technically simple
Design for the Majority
It is noticeable that multi-lang plugins are either usually insufficient for a project or greatly increase the complexity.
This is perfectly fine with plugins, because you simply choose the one that is ideal for the project or develop a custom one.
Multilingualism as part of the core would have to manage the feat of not increasing complexity as much as possible, mapping basic functionality that could, however, be easily extended by standards via plugins – and giving the user the feeling that all these problems can be of no concern to him.
Decisions for millions of websites
Decisions before Options
WordPress isn’t looking for the next best thing – a feature in WordPress Core needs to be useful for not just thousands, but millions of websites.
Traditionally, new features in WordPress are discussed for months – sometimes even years – in public discussions, multiple concepts are created by volunteers and reviewed by independents. This even applies to bugs. The goal: A change in the core must be sustainable.
Implementing a concept that has not been thought through to the end is more dangerous for the project than taking more time to find the best solution.
Why usability is more important than multilingualism
Clean & Lean
Many websites get by without multilingualism in Core, but each benefits from a good editor – and that’s where the Core team is currently focused.
The Block Editor (Gutenberg) solves one of the biggest problems in WordPress: a standard for the design of content and later also for entire websites (full site editing). Gutenberg’s possibilities are actually so far-reaching that this is a real game changer in website creation.
According to WordPress’ 80% principle, a new feature has to make sense to at least 80% of WordPress users, otherwise it shouldn’t be part of Core – the Block Editor has simply cut out multilingualism.
In the next few years, new features will be created primarily in connection with Gutenberg, so that hardly any resources remain for the development of multilingualism in the core.
Multilingualism in the core is coming – at some point.
view
There is probably no more important site for WordPress agencies and developers than the WordPress Roadmap. It is comparatively short and general, but the points listed there usually lead to a disruptive change in the WordPress ecosystem.
With the introduction of Gutenberg, the business model of all pagebuilders, such as Elementor, Divi or Avada, was suddenly called into question. Internationally successful companies and their technology are struggling to find a new perspective, because the WordPress Core with the Block Editor perspective offers a technologically superior solution – free, for everyone.
WordPress Roadmap
Native support for multilingualism is already planned in WordPress’ long-term roadmap.
Prio #1
Easy editing
Already included in WordPress, with continuous improvements.
Prio #2
Everything is a Block
Full frontend editing. Introducing block patterns. Introduce block list views. Fully block-based themes.
Prio # 3
collaboration
Collaboratively author content in an intuitive way – similar to Google Docs, etc.
Prio # 4
Multilingualism
Introducing native support for multiple languages in WordPress, without the need for plugins.
result
In summary, why WordPress is currently not inherently multi-long capable:
- There is no final concept yet
- The block editor (Gutenberg) was more urgent and is more important.
- Multilingualism must complement the standard of the Block Editor meaningfully within the WordPress Core
- The status quo is reliably covered by plugins, as part of the core it must offer added value for 80% of all users.
If you (have) a website built today, the next articles in this series will give you a recommendation for today and the next time. In the long run, WordPress will implement multilingualism as part of the core – and possibly make some multi lang plugin obsolete.
With a little luck, you have decided on a solution that quickly establishes compatibility with the new WordPress standards, migrates obsolete solutions to the new standard and provides meaningful additions.
The WordPress multi-lang plugin, which we trust to do this feat, we will present from June 16 in the third article of this series. But before that, in the second part, we give an overview of a selection of different concepts and solutions that the market provides.
Article series
WordPress multilingualism
This series of articles gives an overview of the current possibilities, advantages and disadvantages as well as an outlook on the future.