The GNU `gettext' utilities are a set of tools that provides a framework to help other GNU packages produce multi-lingual messages. These tools include a set of conventions about how programs should be written to support message catalogs, a directory and file naming organization for the message catalogs themselves, a runtime library supporting the retrieval of translated messages, and a few stand-alone programs to massage in various ways the sets of translatable strings, or already translated strings. A special GNU Emacs mode also helps interested parties in preparing these sets, or bringing them up to date.

These tools include :


A set of conventions about how programs should be written to support message catalogs.

A directory and file naming organization for the message catalogs themselves.

A runtime library supporting the retrieval of translated messages.

A few stand-alone programs to massage in various ways the sets of translatable strings, or already translated strings.

A special mode for Emacs which helps preparing these sets and bringing them up to date.
GNU gettext is designed to minimize the impact of internationalization on program sources, keeping this impact as small and hardly noticeable as possible. Internationalization has better chances of succeeding if it is very light weighted, or at least, appear to be so, when looking at program sources.