Locale is a set of parameters that defines the user's language, region, and cultural preferences within a software application. It includes information such as number formatting, date and time formats, currency symbols, and other language-specific settings that allow developers to create internationalized and localized user experiences.

How to use it in a sentence

I was debugging my React app for hours before realizing the issue was caused by the browser's locale settings overriding my carefully crafted CSS. Just when I thought I had finally achieved the perfect responsive design across all devices, the QA team informed me that the date picker widget was displaying the wrong format for users in different locales.

If you actually want to learn more...

• Locale is a fundamental concept in internationalization (i18n) and localization (l10n) of software. You can learn more about how to handle locales effectively in your applications in this comprehensive guide: The Complete Guide to Internationalization in JavaScript

• Understanding locale-specific formatting and conventions is crucial for creating user interfaces that feel native to users from different regions. This article dives into the intricacies of formatting dates, times, and numbers across locales: Internationalization for Formats: Dates, Times, and Numbers

• While not directly related to locales, Martin Kleppmann's blog post on context-sensitive constructions in English highlights the challenges of parsing human language, which is an important consideration when dealing with user-generated content from different locales.

Note: the Developer Dictionary is in Beta. Please direct feedback to skye@statsig.com.