How to set global culture in ASP.NET Core

How to Set Global Culture in ASP.NET Core

Culture is an essential aspect of any software system. It refers to the collective beliefs, values, and behaviors of the users and developers of the software. In a globalized world, it is increasingly important to design software that can accommodate cultural differences. In this article, we will explore how to set global culture in ASP.NET Core.

What is ASP.NET Core?

ASP.NET Core is an open-source web framework developed by Microsoft. It is a modular framework that can run on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. The framework provides many features, such as routing, controllers, actions, and filters, to help developers build web applications quickly and efficiently.

Why is Global Culture Important in ASP.NET Core?

Global culture is essential in ASP.NET Core because it allows a web application to be used by people from different cultural backgrounds. For example, a web application may need to display dates, times, and currencies in formats that are familiar to the user. If the application does not handle cultural differences correctly, it may be challenging for users to use it effectively.

Setting the Global Culture in ASP.NET Core

Setting the global culture in ASP.NET Core is a simple process that involves three steps:

1. Add the required services in the ConfigureServices method in Startup.cs
2. Set the request localization options in the Configure method in Startup.cs
3. Use the RequestCultureMiddleware in the Configure method in Startup.cs

Adding the Required Services

To set the global culture in ASP.NET Core, we need to add the required services in the ConfigureServices method in Startup.cs. The following code shows how to add the services:

“`
public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
{
// Add localization services
services.AddLocalization(options => options.ResourcesPath = “Resources”);

// Configure supported cultures and localization options
services.Configure(options =>
{
var supportedCultures = new List
{
new CultureInfo(“en-US”),
new CultureInfo(“fr-FR”),
new CultureInfo(“de-DE”),
new CultureInfo(“es-ES”)
};

options.DefaultRequestCulture = new RequestCulture(“en-US”);
options.SupportedCultures = supportedCultures;
options.SupportedUICultures = supportedCultures;
});

services.AddMvc()
.SetCompatibilityVersion(CompatibilityVersion.Version_2_2)
.AddViewLocalization(LanguageViewLocationExpanderFormat.Suffix)
.AddDataAnnotationsLocalization();
}
“`

The code adds the localization services and configures the supported cultures and localization options. The supported cultures are set to English (US), French (France), German (Germany), and Spanish (Spain). The default culture is English (US).

Setting the Request Localization Options

The next step is to set the request localization options in the Configure method in Startup.cs. The following code shows how to set the options:

“`
public void Configure(IApplicationBuilder app, IHostingEnvironment env)
{
var supportedCultures = new[]
{
new CultureInfo(“en-US”),
new CultureInfo(“fr-FR”),
new CultureInfo(“de-DE”),
new CultureInfo(“es-ES”)
};

app.UseRequestLocalization(new RequestLocalizationOptions
{
DefaultRequestCulture = new RequestCulture(“en-US”),
SupportedCultures = supportedCultures,
SupportedUICultures = supportedCultures
});

app.UseMvc();
}
“`

The code sets the default request culture and the supported cultures and UI cultures.

Using the RequestCultureMiddleware

The final step is to use the RequestCultureMiddleware in the Configure method in Startup.cs. The following code shows how to use the middleware:

“`
public void Configure(IApplicationBuilder app, IHostingEnvironment env)
{
app.UseRequestLocalization();

app.UseMvc();
}
“`

The middleware uses the request localization options to set the current thread’s culture.

Conclusion

Setting the global culture in ASP.NET Core is essential to create web applications that can be used by people from different cultural backgrounds. In this article, we explored how to set the global culture in ASP.NET Core by adding the required services, setting the request localization options, and using the RequestCultureMiddleware. By following these steps, developers can ensure that their web applications can handle cultural differences effectively.