Right to Left Language Layout¶
This topic describes about right-to-left language layout.
Commonly spoken languages like English, Spanish, German, Hindi, and many more are read and written from left to right. However, certain languages are read and written from right to left. To support these right-to-left languages, the GUI of the application is mirrored from the usual, traditional left-to-right layout. This mirrored layout is called right-to-left layout.
The main difference between left-to-right and right-to-left language scripts is shown in the following table:
| Element | Left-to-right | Right-to-left |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Sentences are read from left to right. | Sentences are read from right to left. |
| Timeline | An illustrated sequence of events progresses left to right. | An illustrated sequence of events progresses right to left. |
| Imagery | An arrow pointing left to right (→) indicates forward motion. | An arrow pointing right to left (←) indicates forward motion. |
Note
When a UI changes from one direction to the other, then numbers and untranslated text (even if it's part of a phrase) are not mirrored.
Enabling Right-to-Left Layout¶
To enable right-to-left layout in iOS or Android, navigate to general settings and change the device language to a right-to-left supported language like Arabic, Hebrew, and more. If the device language in either iOS or Android is changed to a right-to-left supported language, then the layout of the device automatically changes to a right-to-left layout. Most of the iOS or Android application supports right-to-left layout. The UI inside an application changes to right-to-left layout, if it supports right-to-left layout and is able to detect the change in device language.
Currently, Mobile Development Kit supports two right-to-left languages, Arabic and Hebrew. If at any stage, the application language is set to either Arabic or Hebrew, the layout automatically changes to right-to-left. To modify the application language in Mobile Development Kit, see Setting Application Language section under Internationalization and Localization of App Metadata.