At Holafly, expanding into new markets and connecting travelers worldwide requires more than just reliable eSIM technology, it demands a truly native, localized experience. Today, our app speaks dozens of languages. To maintain our pace of growth without slowing down our app updates, we had to completely rethink how we handle translations.
This journey recently caught the attention of Crowdin, one of the world’s leading translation platforms, which featured our workflow in a detailed case study.
Read the full case study on Crowdin’s Blog: Holafly Localization Case Study
Behind the tools we use is a simple philosophy: localization shouldn’t be a roadblock or an afterthought. Here is how we flipped a slow, traditional process upside down by putting AI at the service of our developers.
The Challenge: The Traditional Bottleneck
Traditionally, localization follows a rigid, top-down structure. Developers often have to wait for translation keys to be defined, or product teams have to manually coordinate spreadsheets before a single line of localized code can move forward. Managing multiple languages this way in a fast-growing mobile app is a recipe for delays. Every new feature required constant back-and-forth communication, manual syncs, and a lot of administrative overhead. To scale at the speed our business demanded, we didn’t just need to speed up the old pipeline, we needed to completely reverse who drives it.
Flipping the Process: AI-Powered Developer Ownership
The real game-changer was flipping the entire process upside down. Instead of localization being an external task that developers wait for, we brought the key creation directly to the developers by leveraging AI.
Now, the process starts and flows effortlessly right from the engineering side:
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Dev-First Key Creation: Developers no longer manage rigid spreadsheets or wait for manual inputs. They build the features, and AI seamlessly assists in generating, structuring, and mapping the translation keys instantly at the development level.
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Invisible Automation: The moment the code is ready, the AI-generated context and keys sync directly with Crowdin without any manual “copy-and-paste” work.
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Real-Time Submissions: Translators get exactly what they need instantly, and the approved strings flow straight back into the app automatically.
By putting AI directly into the developer workflow, we eliminated the traditional handoffs. Localization is no longer a separate phase; it is a seamless byproduct of writing code.
Don’t Translate Words, Translate Experiences
At the end of the day, turning this process on its head directly impacts those who matter most: our users. Ensuring the app is perfectly localized means offering a secure, clear, and seamless eSIM purchase and activation experience, regardless of where the traveler comes from.
This recognition from Crowdin validates our commitment to doing things right. Empowering our developers with AI isn’t just about saving hours of manual work; it’s about agility and elevating the customer experience.
The ultimate goal is simple: Don’t translate words, translate experiences. This milestone reflects our DNA at Holafly, using cutting-edge technology to solve complex global problems, ensuring that nothing stands between our users and the world.
