How To Switch Languages On The Front End
Written by Denis Omerovic
Updated at October 16th, 2024, by Amanda Stançani
A Language Switcher gives your users the possibility to switch between the languages you provide on your multilingual knowledge base and easily find the content in their preferred language.
Language Switcher Design
The default design of your switcher will be as shown below. The language code and flag will be included so that users can quickly locate the section they are looking for.
How to Include the Language Switcher
Simply go to your_subomain.helpjuice.com/admin/customize/main_layout and follow the steps below:
Step 1
Paste the code below somewhere in your <header> or wherever you want the switcher to appear.
{% if account.languages.size > 1 %}
<div class="hj-language-switcher desktop">
<div class="current-language">
<span class="flag-icon flag-icon-{{ current_language.shortcode | slice: 3, 5 | downcase }}"></span>
<span class="language-name">{{ current_language.name }}</span>
</div>
{% if on_show_question_page %}
<div class="languages">
{% for language in account.languages %}
{% if translation_codes contains language.shortcode %}
<div>
<a href="/{{ language.shortcode }}{{question.url}}" class="{% if language.name == current_language.name %}current{% endif %}">
<span class="language-code">{{ language.shortcode | slice: 3, 5 | upcase }}</span>
<span class="flag-icon flag-icon-{{ language.shortcode | slice: 3, 5 | downcase }}"></span>
<span class="language-name">{{ language.name }}</span>
</a>
</div>
{% else %}
<div>
<a href="/{{ language.shortcode }}" class="{% if language.name == current_language.name %}current{% endif %}">
<span class="language-code">{{ language.shortcode | slice: 3, 5 | upcase }}</span>
<span class="flag-icon flag-icon-{{ language.shortcode | slice: 3, 5 | downcase }}"></span>
<span class="language-name">{{ language.name }}</span>
</a>
</div>
{% endif %}
{% endfor %}
</div>
{% elsif on_contact_us_page %}
<div class="languages">
{% for language in account.languages %}
<div>
<a href="/{{ language.shortcode }}/contact-us" class="{% if language.name == current_language.name %}current{% endif %}">
<span class="language-code">{{ language.shortcode | slice: 3, 5 | upcase }}</span>
<span class="flag-icon flag-icon-{{ language.shortcode | slice: 3, 5 | downcase }}"></span>
<span class="language-name">{{ language.name }}</span>
</a>
</div>
{% endfor %}
</div>
{% elsif thanks %}
<div class="languages">
{% for language in account.languages %}
<div>
<a href="/{{ language.shortcode }}/thanks" class="{% if language.name == current_language.name %}current{% endif %}">
<span class="language-code">{{ language.shortcode | slice: 3, 5 | upcase }}</span>
<span class="flag-icon flag-icon-{{ language.shortcode | slice: 3, 5 | downcase }}"></span>
<span class="language-name">{{ language.name }}</span>
</a>
</div>
{% endfor %}
</div>
{% elsif author %}
<div class="languages">
{% for language in account.languages %}
<div>
<a href="/{{ language.shortcode }}/authors/{{ author.id }}" class="{% if language.name == current_language.name %}current{% endif %}">
<span class="language-code">{{ language.shortcode | slice: 3, 5 | upcase }}</span>
<span class="flag-icon flag-icon-{{ language.shortcode | slice: 3, 5 | downcase }}"></span>
<span class="language-name">{{ language.name }}</span>
</a>
</div>
{% endfor %}
</div>
{% else %}
<div class="languages">
{% for language in account.languages %}
<div>
<a href="/{{ language.shortcode }}" class="{% if language.name == current_language.name %}current{% endif %}">
<span class="language-code">{{ language.shortcode | slice: 3, 5 | upcase }}</span>
<span class="flag-icon flag-icon-{{ language.shortcode | slice: 3, 5 | downcase }}"></span>
<span class="language-name">{{ language.name }}</span>
</a>
</div>
{% endfor %}
</div>
{% endif %}
</div>
{% endif %}Step 2
To apply styles to the switcher, paste the code below in your main.css file located at your_subdomain.helpjuice.com/admin/customize/main_css
.hj-language-switcher {
display: inline-block;
position: relative;
margin-left: 10px;
.current-language {
position: relative;
display: inline-flex;
justify-content: space-between;
align-items: center;
padding: 10px 30px 10px 20px;
background: #7f8d9c;
border-radius: 2px;
cursor: pointer;
.flag-icon {
margin-right: 10px;
background-size: 16px;
}
.language-name {
font-size: 14px;
font-weight: 600;
color: #FFFFFF;
}
&::after {
content: '';
width: 5px;
height: 5px;
border-top: 2px solid #FFFFFF;
border-right: 2px solid #FFFFFF;
position: absolute;
right: 10px;
top: 13px;
transform: rotate(135deg);
-webkit-transform: rotate(135deg);
z-index: 999;
}
}
.languages {
position: absolute;
display: none;
margin: 0;
padding: 5px;
top: 65px;
left: calc(50% - 125px);
z-index: 9999;
background: #FFFFFF;
box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(87, 187, 255, .25);
-webkit-box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(87, 187, 255, .25);
border-radius: 5px;
min-width: 250px;
&.active {
display: block;
}
&::before {
content: '';
width: 30px;
height: 30px;
background: #FFFFFF;
transform: rotate(45deg);
-webkit-transform: rotate(45deg);
position: absolute;
left: calc(50% - 15px);
margin-top: -19px;
z-index: -1;
box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(87, 187, 255, .25);
-webkit-box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(87, 187, 255, .25);
}
a {
display: inline-flex;
justify-content: flex-start;
align-items: center;
margin: 0;
font-size: 14px;
font-weight: 600;
color: #7f8d9c;
text-decoration: none;
background: #FFFFFF;
cursor: pointer;
width: 100%;
padding: 10px;
border-radius: 3px;
&.current {
background: darken(aliceblue, 10%);
}
&:hover {
text-decoration: none!important;
background: darken(aliceblue, 10%);
}
.language-code {
width: 30px;
font-weight: bold;
}
.flag-icon {
margin-right: 12px;
background-size: 16px;
}
.language-name {
font-size: 14px;
font-weight: 600;
color: #7f8d9c;
}
}
}
&.mobile {
display: inline-flex;
width: 100%;
@media (min-width: 1024px) {
display: none;
}
margin: 0 0 10px 0;
.current-language {
margin-left: auto;
.flag-icon {
margin: 0;
}
}
.languages {
top: 40px;
left: inherit;
right: 0;
&::before {
content: none;
}
}
}
&.desktop {
@media (max-width: 1023px) {
display: none;
}
}
}Step 3
For the switcher functionality, paste the code below in your main.js file located at your_subdomain.helpjuice.com/admin/customize/main_js
$('.hj-language-switcher .current-language').on('click', function() {
$(this).parent().find('.languages').toggleClass('active');
});
$(document).click(function(e) {
var switcher = $('.hj-language-switcher');
if (!switcher.is(e.target) && switcher.has(e.target).length === 0) {
$('.hj-language-switcher .languages').removeClass('active');
};
});Step 4 - Optional
If you want to show country flags just copy the code below and place it somewhere in your <head> element
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/flag-icon-css/3.5.0/css/flag-icon.min.css">
That's it! You should be able to see a language switcher in your Knowledge Base.
Need Help?
If you don't feel comfortable changing the code, we will be happy to update it for you! Simply submit a new customization request and our team will make any necessary changes!