TypesXLIFF

TypesXLIFF is a TypeScript / Node.js library for parsing, generating, and validating XLIFF 2.x files (2.0, 2.1 and 2.2). It includes a fully typed object model and JSON conversion for processing translation and localization data.

Quick example

Load an XLIFF file and read the first source segment:

import { XliffParser } from "typesxliff";

const parser = new XliffParser();
parser.parseFile("file.xlf");

const doc = parser.getXliffDocument();
const segment = doc?.getFiles()?.[0]?.getEntries()?.[0];

if (segment && "getItems" in segment) {
    console.log(segment.getItems()[0]?.getSource()?.getContent().join(""));
}

Why TypesXLIFF

• Full XLIFF 2.x object model (not just parsing)
• Type-safe API for building and modifying documents
• JSON round-trip for integration with other systems
• Built on TypesXML (streaming XML parser with validation support)

Features

• Parse XLIFF files — Load an existing XLIFF 2.x file into a fully typed object model using XliffParser
• Build programmatically — Construct XliffDocument instances from scratch using the provided model classes
• Write XLIFF files — Serialize any XliffDocument back to a well-formed XML file using XliffDocument.writeDocument()
• JSON round-trip — Convert XLIFF ⇄ JSON (lossless) using XliffToJson, and reconstruct it back using JsonToXliff. Built on the round-trip JSON conversion provided by TypesXML
• Validate — Each model element exposes an isValid() method that checks structural and semantic constraints against the XLIFF 2.x specification

Use cases

• Parse XLIFF 2.x files in Node.js or TypeScript
• Generate XLIFF documents programmatically
• Convert XLIFF to/from JSON
• Validate XLIFF structure and content
• Build localization or translation pipelines

Documentation

• Getting Started
• Parsing XLIFF Files
• Building XLIFF Documents
• JSON Conversion
• XLIFF Validation Example - Companion command-line tool for strict XML Schema validation and end-to-end validation workflows. TypesXLIFF provides the object model and semantic validation methods used by that project.

Scope

TypesXLIFF provides type-safe classes for building, parsing, and serializing XLIFF documents. It covers:

• XLIFF versions: 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2
• Core structural elements: <xliff>, <file>, <skeleton>, <group>, <unit>, <segment>, <ignorable>, <notes>, <note>, <originalData>, <data>, <source> and <target>
• Inline elements: <cp>, <ph>, <pc>, <sc>, <ec>, <mrk>, <sm> and <em>
• Metadata module: <metadata>, <metaGroup> and <meta>
• Translation Candidates module: <matches> and <match>
• Glossary module: <glossary>, <glossEntry>, <term>, <translation> and <definition>

Each class includes validation (isValid()) and XML serialization (toElement()) methods.

Parsing an existing XLIFF file

import { Catalog } from "typesxml";
import { XliffParser, XliffDocument } from "typesxliff";

const parser = new XliffParser();
// Using a catalog is optional. When provided, the SAX parser can resolve grammar
// schemas and populate default attribute values declared in them.
// A sample catalog covering XLIFF 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2 is included in the catalog/ folder.
parser.setCatalog(new Catalog('/path/to/typesxliff/catalog/catalog.xml'));
parser.parseFile('/path/to/file.xlf');
const doc: XliffDocument | undefined = parser.getXliffDocument();

Building and writing an XLIFF document

import { XliffDocument, XliffFile, XliffUnit, XliffSegment, XliffSource } from "typesxliff";

const doc = new XliffDocument("2.1", "en", "es");

const file = new XliffFile("f1");
const unit = new XliffUnit("u1");
const segment = new XliffSegment("s1");
const source = new XliffSource();
source.addText("Hello, world!");
segment.setSource(source);
unit.addSegment(segment);
file.addUnit(unit);
doc.addFile(file);

doc.writeDocument('/path/to/output.xlf', true);

Dependencies

• TypesXML — XML object model and SAX parser
• TypesBCP47 — BCP 47 language tag utilities

Installation

npm install typesxliff

Building from Source

npm install
npm run build