What Is It?

Joomla's language system has evolved across versions — with new constants introduced, others deprecated, and structural changes affecting how fields, options, and labels are handled.

Joomla Component Builder (JCB) introduces version-aware language string compilation: a system that dynamically maps and generates language constants according to the version(s) your component targets.

It ensures your compiled components:

• Avoid deprecated language constants
• Follow Joomla's latest language practices
• Include only the necessary strings for the specified version
• Maintain backward compatibility when required

Key Capabilities

• Dynamic Constant Resolution
  JCB evaluates which language strings are appropriate per Joomla version and adapts them during compile time.
• Per-Version Overrides
  Define language constants for J3, J4, and J5 separately inside JCB’s GUI (Field, View, or Global Lang settings). The compiler picks the correct one automatically.
• Slimmer, Cleaner Language Files
  Only the strings relevant to the compiled version are included — avoiding unnecessary constants in the final .ini files.
• Automatic Migration Hints
  If a J3 string is no longer valid in J4 or J5, JCB warns you and offers default mappings to current constants.

Used In:

• Field labels, descriptions, options
• View titles and menu entries
• Toolbar buttons and permission strings
• Snippets and templates that output translatable strings

How It Works in JCB

• When building a field, view, or admin UI, define your translatable labels with a Language Key (e.g., <?php echo Text::_('Text'); ?> ).
• Use the Language Translation to define the linked Entity of that key.
• In the component configuration, set the target Joomla version.
• On compile, JCB uses the appropriate language block for that version and generates a correct Languge file.
• You can also export/import all language strings via Excel spreadsheets.

Benefits

• Clean, compatible language across Joomla versions
• Automatic pruning of obsolete/deprecated keys
• Full control over wording based on platform context
• Less need for language overrides after installation
• Export/import-friendly via Excel workflow

Tips

• Use descriptive language keys early in your project (don't hard-code values).
• Maintain J3/J4/J5 language variations only when truly necessary.
• Use JCB's "Language Reference Table" to audit usage and catch duplicates.
• Avoid defining unnecessary strings for versions you don't compile for.

Summary

Version-aware language compilation in JCB guarantees your components stay up-to-date with Joomla's evolving language system — making multilingual support clean, future-proof, and contextually correct per version.