endorsedOngoing

Internationalization & Localization of Online Marketplace (Web & Mobile)

Services Covered:

Custom Software Development • Website Development • Mobile Application Development

Industry

E-commerce & Retail

45 months

Budget

1M - 10M

Start Date

1 April 2018

Team Size

1-5

Engagement Model

Offshore

Project Capability Score (PCS)

75/100

Good

Project Capability Score (PCS) estimates how capable AscentCore is of successfully delivering a project like this, based on its past experience, track record, and ability to handle similar work. Learn more about PCS

Client

Confidential

Seattle, United States of America

Project Summary

AscentCore internationalized and localized a mature Python and JavaScript codebase for an online two-sided marketplace, tagging strings for translation and adding localization hooks across web and native mobile apps. The engagement began with a five-engineer pilot and expanded to multiple teams, enabling the client to launch into seven European countries and languages on schedule. The vendor worked within an agile process and CI/CD pipeline and provided experienced engineers to augment the client's team.

Key Challenges

Internationalize and localize a large, mature Python and JavaScript codebase to support European expansion.
Provide experienced engineers familiar with the tech stack to augment the in-house team while the core team remained focused on the existing roadmap.

Project Deliverables

Internationalized and localized codebase (Python & JavaScript)
Tagged strings for translation
Localization hooks and wrappers
Bug fixes prior to launch
CI/CD pipeline usage with feature-flagged releases

Project Solution

AscentCore delivered a pilot internationalization project with a five-engineer team (including a tech lead) to methodically scrub a large Python and JavaScript codebase, tagging strings for translation and adding localization hooks and wrappers. Early sprints addressed technical design challenges such as string translations and multiple currencies; the main phase involved tagging every file for localization, and the final phase focused on finding and fixing bugs before launch. After the pilot's success, the engagement expanded to multiple teams including engineering managers and engineers across backend (Python), frontend (React), and mobile (Swift, Kotlin, React Native). The team worked within an agile/scrum process using a CI/CD pipeline, feature flags, Jira, and Slack for coordination.

Project Outcome

Successfully expanded service from the USA into Europe, launching on schedule across 7 European countries and languages with no major technical issues.
Delivery executed via agile/scrum with CI/CD and feature flags supporting timely releases.
Vendor provided flexible resourcing and coaching to maintain quality across the engagement.

Platforms

Web
Mobile

Tech Stack

Python
React.js
React Native
Swift
Kotlin
JavaScript

Client Endorsement

Overall Review Rating

Timeliness

Cost Rating

Willing to Refer

Quality of Deliverables

“With AscentCore's help, the client has successfully expanded their services from the USA to Europe with no major technical issues. The team demonstrates their interest in fostering this long-term partnership by flexibly switching out or coaching engineers who fail to meet expectations.”
Anonymous
Director of Engineering
Date: 01/30/2022