Software, App and Website Localization with Right-to-Left QA in Pashto, Dari and 22 More Afghan Languages

Pashto localization, Dari localization and right-to-left (RTL) testing for software, mobile apps and websites. Our localization engineers and trained Pashto and Dari linguists adapt your product for Afghan users in Afghanistan and across the Afghan diaspora, then test the running build on real devices and browsers, so every screen reads right to left the way they expect.

Updated September 21, 2026

Six layers of a localized screen, numbered bottom to top

  1. Strings. Keys, sentences and variables the product displays.
  2. Locale data. Dates, calendars, digits, currency and week rules.
  3. Fonts and shaping. The letters, joins and line heights of Arabic script.
  4. Bidirectional text. Right-to-left sentences carrying left-to-right numbers and names.
  5. Layout and mirroring. Direction, alignment, icons and gestures.
  6. Input, search and accessibility. Keyboards, invisible characters, look-alike letters and screen readers.

What is Pashto and Dari software localization with RTL QA?

It is the work of adapting software, a mobile app or a website for Pashto and Dari speakers — translating the interface, switching the layout to right-to-left, and applying Afghan fonts, dates and numbers — followed by testing the running product in both languages to find and fix what breaks. Ariana Nexus delivers both halves in-house: the localization and the right-to-left quality assurance (RTL QA).

Updated September 21, 2026

Key facts

  • Pashto and Dari are written right to left in Arabic-based scripts; numbers, codes and English names inside them run left to right.
  • Pashto needs letters that many fonts leave out, such as ټ ډ ړ ږ ښ ګ ڼ.
  • Afghanistan dates by the Solar Hijri calendar with its own month names: حمل، ثور، جوزا in Dari and وری، غویی، غبرګولی in Pashto, not the Iranian فروردین، اردیبهشت، خرداد.
  • Dari as written in Afghanistan is not Iranian Persian (Farsi). Vocabulary, spelling and locale data differ, and its language code is prs, filed under fa-AF by most platforms.

Where Pashto and Dari apps break: the right-to-left bugs we find

Most Afghan-language defects are not translation errors. They are engineering and locale failures that only appear on a running screen.

Strings

Keys, sentences and variables the product displays.

  • Sentences are glued together in code

    Concatenated fragments break Pashto word order and gender agreement, and untranslated strings leak into the interface.
    FixExternalized strings, ICU MessageFormat with plural and select, and pseudo-localization first.

Locale data

Dates, calendars, digits, currency and week rules.

  • Iranian Persian shipped as Dari

    The build uses fa or fa-IR, Iranian vocabulary and Iranian month names, فروردین instead of حمل, and reads as foreign to Afghan users.
    FixAfghan Dari terminology and Afghan locale data (prs, fa-AF).

  • Dates fall back to English or the wrong calendar

    In our test, Chromium 141 printed ps-AF dates in English, and full CLDR 48 data still puts a Latin “AP” in Pashto dates. Many apps show Gregorian dates only.
    FixRuntime-by-runtime locale tests, explicit calendar support and server-side formatting where data is missing.

  • Digits and currency break forms

    Western and Afghan digits (۰۱۲۳۴۵۶۷۸۹) mix on one screen, inputs reject Afghan digits, and the Afghani sign ؋ lands in the wrong place.
    FixInput normalization, per-locale formatting and tests on every numeric field.

Fonts and shaping

The letters, joins and line heights of Arabic script.

  • The font has no Pashto letters

    Letters such as ټ ډ ړ ږ ښ ګ fall back to a system font or print as empty boxes, sometimes in the middle of a word.
    FixA verified Arabic-script font stack, checked on every target operating system.

  • Text is clipped or truncated

    Fixed line heights clip Arabic-script letters, buttons truncate longer strings, and letter-spacing breaks the joins of cursive text.
    FixFlexible containers, Arabic-script line heights and no tracking on Pashto or Dari.

Bidirectional text

Right-to-left sentences carrying left-to-right numbers and names.

  • Numbers and English words scramble the sentence

    A verification code written 4521-AB displays as AB-4521 inside a Pashto sentence, and punctuation lands at the wrong end.
    FixUnicode bidirectional isolation (dir="auto", <bdi>, isolate controls) instead of ad hoc direction marks.

Layout and mirroring

Direction, alignment, icons and gestures.

  • Mirroring stops halfway

    The layout flips, but back arrows, progress bars and swipe gestures still run left to right, while logos and media controls get flipped that should not.
    FixLogical start and end properties, a mirrored-icon inventory and written exceptions.

Input, search and accessibility

Keyboards, invisible characters, look-alike letters and screen readers.

  • An invisible character disappears

    A CMS or sanitizer strips the zero-width non-joiner (U+200C), so پیام‌ها becomes پیامها and letters join that must stay apart.
    FixU+200C preserved end to end, with round-trip tests through every system.

  • Look-alike letters break search

    Arabic ي and ك are stored where Dari and Pashto use ی and ک. The words look the same, but search, sorting and matching fail.
    FixNormalization at input and index time, and search tests with real Afghan queries.

Who needs Pashto and Dari localization

Any team shipping software to Pashto and Dari readers. These are the teams we work with most.

  • Software and SaaS companies

    Product interfaces, onboarding, billing, notifications and help centers.

  • Mobile app teams

    iOS and Android apps, push messages, and App Store and Google Play listings.

  • AI product teams

    Chat interfaces, assistants, system messages and safety text in Pashto and Dari.

  • Fintech, remittance and payments

    Afghani (AFN) amounts, digits, name fields and verification flows.

  • Public-sector and federal programs

    Benefits portals and case-management systems serving Afghan evacuees and refugees, built to Section 508.

  • Humanitarian and international NGOs

    Registration, feedback and field apps used by Afghan communities.

  • Education and e-learning platforms

    Courses, learning apps and LMS interfaces for Afghan learners studying online.

  • Media, news and messaging platforms

    Readers, comments and alerts for Afghan audiences at home and in the diaspora.

Software, app and website localization services in Pashto and Dari

Everything from the first code audit to continuous releases, delivered by one in-house team.

  • Internationalization (i18n) audit

    A review of your code, designs and string files for right-to-left readiness, locale handling and hard-coded text, before translation starts.

  • Pseudo-localization

    Test builds with expanded, accented and mirrored strings that expose truncation, concatenation and RTL breakage early.

  • UI and content translation

    Pashto and Afghan Dari translation of interface strings, errors, notifications, emails and help content, in your resource files.

  • Terminology and style guides

    Product glossaries, tone, forms of address and do-not-translate lists in Pashto and Dari, agreed with your product team.

  • RTL design and UX review

    Mirroring, icons, navigation, gestures and typography reviewed in Figma files and live builds.

  • Right-to-left QA on real devices

    Functional, visual and linguistic testing across browsers, iOS and Android, with every defect logged and reproducible.

  • Website localization and multilingual SEO

    Pashto and Dari pages with correct lang and dir markup, localized metadata, hreflang and structured data.

  • App store localization

    App Store and Google Play listings, screenshots and release notes in Pashto and Dari.

  • AI interface localization

    Chat interfaces, assistant messages, refusals and safety text localized and tested in context.

  • Continuous localization

    New strings translated, tested and signed off with every release, inside your CI/CD pipeline and translation management system.

Afghan dates, digits and calendars: getting the locale right

Afghan users expect Afghan conventions. We measured what common runtimes actually return for Afghan locales.

Setting
Farsi (Iran): the common mistake
Dari (Afghanistan)
Pashto (Afghanistan)
SettingLanguage tag
Farsi (Iran): the common mistakefa-IR
Dari (Afghanistan)prs, which resolves to fa-AF
Pashto (Afghanistan)ps-AF
SettingFirst and last month
Farsi (Iran): the common mistakeفروردین … اسفند
Dari (Afghanistan)حمل … حوت
Pashto (Afghanistan)وری … کب
SettingDate as CLDR 48 formats it
Farsi (Iran): the common mistake۳۰ شهریور ۱۴۰۵
Dari (Afghanistan)۳۰ سنبلهٔ ۱۴۰۵
Pashto (Afghanistan)AP ۱۴۰۵ وږی ۳۰
SettingNumber
Farsi (Iran): the common mistake۱٬۲۳۴٬۵۶۷٫۸۹
Dari (Afghanistan)۱٬۲۳۴٬۵۶۷٫۸۹
Pashto (Afghanistan)۱٬۲۳۴٬۵۶۷٫۸۹
Setting12,500 Afghani
Farsi (Iran): the common mistake‎؋۱۲٬۵۰۰
Dari (Afghanistan)؋ ۱۲٬۵۰۰
Pashto (Afghanistan)؋ ۱۲٬۵۰۰
SettingWeek starts
Farsi (Iran): the common mistakeSaturday
Dari (Afghanistan)Saturday
Pashto (Afghanistan)Saturday
SettingWeekend
Farsi (Iran): the common mistakeFriday
Dari (Afghanistan)Thursday and Friday
Pashto (Afghanistan)Thursday and Friday
SettingPlural categories
Farsi (Iran): the common mistakeone, other
Dari (Afghanistan)one, other
Pashto (Afghanistan)one, other

Measured September 21, 2026 with the JavaScript Intl API in Chromium 141 and Node.js 22 (ICU 78.2, CLDR 48.0). In Chromium 141, ps-AF resolved to en-US and printed “September 21, 2026”; prs resolved to fa-AF in both engines.

Solar Hijri month names, three ways

Pashto (Afghanistan)Afghan orthography
  1. وری
  2. غویی
  3. غبرګولی
  4. چنګاښ
  5. زمری
  6. وږی
  7. تله
  8. لړم
  9. لیندۍ
  10. مرغومی
  11. سلواغه
  12. کب
Dari (Afghanistan)fa-AF data
  1. حمل
  2. ثور
  3. جوزا
  4. سرطان
  5. اسد
  6. سنبله
  7. میزان
  8. عقرب
  9. قوس
  10. جدی
  11. دلو
  12. حوت
Farsi (Iran)fa-IR data
  1. فروردین
  2. اردیبهشت
  3. خرداد
  4. تیر
  5. مرداد
  6. شهریور
  7. مهر
  8. آبان
  9. آذر
  10. دی
  11. بهمن
  12. اسفند

CLDR 48 spells غبرگولی and چنگاښ with the Persian letter گ; Afghan Pashto writes ګ. English Solar Hijri dates in CLDR 48 use the Iranian names (Farvardin, Ordibehesht, Khordad …), not the Afghan ones.

Same word, two languages

English
Farsi (Iran)
Dari (Afghanistan)
EnglishHospital
Farsi (Iran)بیمارستان
Dari (Afghanistan)شفاخانه
EnglishUniversity
Farsi (Iran)دانشگاه
Dari (Afghanistan)پوهنتون
EnglishProvince
Farsi (Iran)استان
Dari (Afghanistan)ولایت
EnglishPharmacy
Farsi (Iran)داروخانه
Dari (Afghanistan)دواخانه
EnglishCar
Farsi (Iran)ماشین
Dari (Afghanistan)موتر

Pashto font support: which fonts render every Pashto letter

A font that cannot draw a Pashto letter silently swaps in another font, or prints an empty box. Of the 22 Arabic-script fonts we tested, 11 contain all twelve Pashto letters we check and 11 contain fewer, some as few as 1 of twelve. Latin brand fonts such as Inter, Open Sans and Roboto contain none.

Amiri
12/12
Harmattan
12/12
IBM Plex Sans Arabic
12/12
Lateef
12/12
Mada
12/12
Noto Kufi Arabic
12/12
Noto Naskh Arabic
12/12
Noto Nastaliq Urdu
12/12
Noto Sans Arabic
12/12
Scheherazade New
12/12
Vazirmatn
12/12
Reem Kufi
3/12
Almarai
1/12
Baloo Bhaijaan 2
1/12
Cairo
1/12
Changa
1/12
El Messiri
1/12
Lalezar
1/12
Markazi Text
1/12
Readex Pro
1/12
Rubik
1/12
Tajawal
1/12
Inter
0/12
Open Sans
0/12
Roboto
0/12
Pashto letters present in each font (ټ ډ ړ ږ ښ ځ څ ڼ ګ ې ۍ ئ). Character-map check with fontTools of twelve Pashto letters, six Dari letters, the ten Afghan digits and the Afghani sign, run on September 21, 2026 against current files from the Google Fonts repository.

RTL testing for web, iOS, Android and cross-platform apps

We work in your stack and your file formats. These are the right-to-left mechanisms we test first on each platform.

Platform
Resource files
RTL mechanism
What we check first
PlatformWeb apps
React, Next.js, Angular, Vue
Resource filesJSON, ICU MessageFormat, XLIFF
RTL mechanismdir="rtl" on the root element, CSS logical properties
What we check firstBidi isolation, font fallback, lang attributes, Intl formatting
PlatformiOS
Swift, SwiftUI
Resource files.strings, .stringsdict, .xcstrings
RTL mechanismLeading and trailing constraints, natural text alignment
What we check firstMirrored navigation, Dynamic Type with Arabic script, VoiceOver
PlatformAndroid
Kotlin, Jetpack Compose
Resource filesstrings.xml, plurals
RTL mechanismandroid:supportsRtl, start and end attributes
What we check firstAuto-mirrored drawables, numeric input, TalkBack
PlatformFlutter
Dart
Resource filesARB
RTL mechanismDirectionality, TextDirection, EdgeInsetsDirectional
What we check firstLocale delegates, intl date and number formats
PlatformReact Native
JavaScript, TypeScript
Resource filesJSON
RTL mechanismI18nManager, start and end styles
What we check firstDirection switch on restart, native modules
Platform.NET and Windows
C#, WPF, WinUI
Resource files.resx
RTL mechanismFlowDirection.RightToLeft
What we check firstCulture fallback for fa-AF and ps-AF
PlatformWebsites and CMS
Webflow, WordPress, Drupal
Resource filesCMS fields, XLIFF exports
RTL mechanismPer-locale templates, lang and dir on every block
What we check firstZWNJ preservation, hreflang, right-to-left templates
PlatformEmail and PDF
HTML email, PDF templates
Resource filesHTML and template files
RTL mechanismdir on every table cell, embedded fonts
What we check firstRendering in major mail clients and PDF readers

Pashto, Dari and 22 more Afghan languages

Pashto and Dari are the core of this service. For the other 22 Afghan languages we publish what we can deliver in software today, rather than one flat claim.

Tier 1: Full localization and RTL QA

Complete software localization, terminology and right-to-left QA on devices.
  • Pashtoپښتوps
  • Dariدریprs

Tier 2: Localization with native review

Arabic-script languages with established writing, localized by our team with native review; we engineer locale data where platforms lack it.
  • Hazaragiهزارگیhaz, A variety of Dari
  • Aimaqایماقیaiq
  • Balochiبلوچیbal
  • Uzbekiاوزبیکیuzs, Arabic script, uz-Arab-AF
  • Turkmeniترکمنیtk, Arabic script in Afghanistan

Tier 3: Content, terminology and audio by arrangement

Languages with limited written standards: we scope content, terminology and voice work case by case.
  • Ormurioru
  • Parachiprc
  • Wakhiwbl, Pamir
  • Shughnisgh, Pamir
  • Sanglechisgy, Pamir
  • Ishkashimiisk, Pamir
  • Munjimnj, Pamir
  • Yidghaydg, Pamir
  • Kyrgyzky
  • Pashayiaee, Four ISO codes: aee, aeq, glh, psi
  • Gawarbatigwt
  • Tirahitra
  • Nuristani (Ashkun group)ask
  • Katibsh
  • Prasunprn
  • Waigaliwbk
  • Brahuibrh

How our localization and RTL QA process works

Seven stages, the same for a first release and for every release after it.

  1. Scope and i18n audit

    We review your code, designs and string files and list what must change before translation.
    OutputAudit findings and plan

  2. Pseudo-localization

    A mirrored, expanded test build exposes hard-coded text, truncation and layout breakage.
    OutputPseudo-localization report

  3. Terminology and style

    Pashto and Dari glossaries and style decisions are agreed with your product team.
    OutputGlossary and style guide

  4. Translation in context

    Linguists translate in your files with screenshots and string context; a second linguist reviews.
    OutputLocalized resource files

  5. RTL build review

    Engineers check mirroring, fonts, bidirectional text and locale formats in a running build.
    OutputRTL review log

  6. Device and linguistic QA

    Functional, visual and linguistic testing on real devices and browsers, with every defect reproducible.
    OutputQA report and tickets

  7. Release and regression

    Fixes are verified and signed off; new strings follow the same loop each release.
    OutputSign-off memo and regression suite

Right-to-left QA checklist: what we test in Pashto and Dari

Twelve checks on the running product, each with evidence you can hand to your engineers.

Check
What we test
Evidence you get
CheckLayout direction
What we testRoot direction, mirrored layout, logical spacing, scroll and swipe direction
Evidence you getLTR and RTL screenshots side by side
CheckIcons and imagery
What we testDirectional icons mirrored; logos, clocks and media controls left alone
Evidence you getIcon inventory with decisions
CheckBidirectional text
What we testNumbers, URLs, English names and punctuation inside Pashto and Dari
Evidence you getBidi test strings and results
CheckFonts and shaping
What we testPashto letters, joining, diacritics and fallback on each OS and browser
Evidence you getGlyph coverage per font
CheckLine breaks and truncation
What we testExpansion, clipping, ellipsis and line height for Arabic script
Evidence you getAffected screens by string key
CheckDates and calendars
What we testSolar Hijri dates, Afghan month names, time formats
Evidence you getLocale test table
CheckNumbers and currency
What we testDigit shapes, separators, Afghani formatting, numeric input
Evidence you getParsing and formatting results
CheckPlurals and gender
What we testICU plural and select rules, sentence assembly
Evidence you getString-by-string review
CheckInput, search and sorting
What we testKeyboards, ZWNJ, look-alike letter normalization, collation
Evidence you getSearch and sort test log
CheckTerminology and tone
What we testAfghan Dari rather than Iranian Persian, Pashto register, consistency
Evidence you getGlossary conformance review
CheckAccessibility
What we testlang attributes, screen reader pronunciation, right-to-left focus order
Evidence you getFindings mapped to WCAG 2.2
CheckSearch and metadata
What we testTitles, descriptions, hreflang and structured data in Pashto and Dari
Evidence you getMetadata audit

What you receive at the end of every release

Every engagement ends with files you can merge and evidence you can audit.

  • Localized resource files

    In your formats (JSON, XLIFF, .strings, strings.xml, ARB, .resx), ready to merge.

  • Glossary and style guide

    Pashto and Dari terminology with usage notes, maintained for future releases.

  • i18n audit findings

    Code-level issues with file references and recommended fixes.

  • Pseudo-localization report

    What broke in the test build, where, and why.

  • RTL QA report

    Every defect with screenshot, device, severity, string key and fix.

  • Tickets in your tracker

    Defects filed where your engineers work, with reproduction steps.

  • Accessibility findings

    Pashto and Dari screen reader and language-attribute issues mapped to WCAG 2.2.

  • Release sign-off memo

    What was tested, on which builds and devices, and who signed off.
Abstract gold and dark geometric forms
Right-to-left builds under test on phones, tablets and desktop browsers.

The team behind our Pashto and Dari localization

Localization engineering and Afghan-language expertise in one team: alumni and scholars of Cornell University, the University of Chicago, the University of British Columbia and Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, not a pool of bilingual freelancers. Engineers and linguists review the same build, so every defect report comes from someone who can read the screen and someone who can fix the code.

Portrait of Hassan Ukasha

Program oversight

Hassan Ukasha

Managing Partner
Washington, D.C.

Oversees Ariana Nexus operations and every localization program. He agrees scope, staffing and security terms with your team, chairs the release gate, and remains the single point of accountability from the first string to sign-off.

  • B.S., Cornell University
  • M.P.H., Cornell University

Languages: Pashto, Dari, English, Urdu and Hindi, with working Arabic.

Hassan Ukasha on LinkedIn
Portrait of Zeba Haqbani

Zeba Haqbani

Senior Partner
Leads localization engineering: string pipelines, pseudo-localization and continuous-localization integration.
  • B.Sc., University of British Columbia
Portrait of Hussain Ahmad

Hussain Ahmad

Principal
Leads RTL test engineering: device and browser matrices, bidirectional-text and rendering analysis, regression suites.
  • M.Eng., Cornell University
  • Ph.D., University of Chicago
Portrait of Wasil Peroz

Wasil Peroz

Principal
Leads Pashto and Dari linguistic QA: terminology, style guides and in-context review.
  • B.A., Milli University
  • M.Sc., Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg
Portrait of Maryam Safi

Maryam Safi

Principal
Runs delivery: scoping, schedules, defect triage and client sign-off.
  • B.A., Cornell University

  • One loop, not a relay

    Engineers and linguists review the same build together. Findings never pass between vendors.

  • Read on the screen, not in a spreadsheet

    Every string is checked in the running product, on the devices your users carry.

  • Named sign-off

    Each release is signed by the people who tested it, and they stay on your program.

Why Ariana Nexus: how we deliver and how we are different

No U.S. certification exists for Pashto or Dari software localization, so we set the standard ourselves: the twelve checks on this page, applied by one accountable team from the first string to sign-off.

  • Engineering and language in one team

    Internationalization engineers and Pashto and Dari linguists work on the same build, so findings arrive with code-level fixes.

  • Afghan conventions, not approximations

    Afghan Dari rather than Iranian Persian, Pashto before Dari, the prs language code, Afghan month names, digits and the Afghani sign.

  • We test the product, not only the strings

    Every engagement ends in device and browser QA of the running build.

  • In-house, first string to sign-off

    No subcontractors and no crowd platforms: every part produced by our own people, one engagement, one point of accountability.

  • We won't send you a bilingual

    Speaking Pashto or Dari is not a qualification. Our reviewers are trained to a written QA standard and work alongside engineers.

  • Secure by default

    Access under NDA and limited to named team members; your strings are never used to train models; nothing is routed through channels controlled by the de facto authorities in Afghanistan.

Translation only, compared with localization and RTL QA

Area
Translation only
Localization with RTL QA
AreaWhat is checked
Translation onlyStrings in a spreadsheet
Localization with RTL QAThe running product, on devices and browsers
AreaDari
Translation onlyOften Iranian Persian by default
Localization with RTL QAAfghan Dari with prs and fa-AF locale data
AreaFonts
Translation onlyNot checked
Localization with RTL QAEvery Pashto letter, on every platform
AreaBidi, dates and digits
Translation onlyFound by your users
Localization with RTL QAFound and fixed before release
AreaAccountability
Translation onlyEnds at file delivery
Localization with RTL QASigned off by named reviewers

Ways to engage

Four ways to start, from a fixed-scope audit to a standing release partnership.

  • Localization readiness audit

    For: Before you commit to Pashto and Dari

    A fixed-scope review of code, designs and strings, with a prioritized fix list and a launch plan.

  • Launch program

    For: A first Pashto and Dari release

    End-to-end localization and RTL QA across web and mobile, from audit to sign-off.

  • RTL QA only

    For: You already have translations

    We test the running product on devices and log every defect with a fix.

  • Continuous localization

    For: Products that ship every sprint

    New strings translated, regression-tested and signed off with each release.

Pashto and Dari localization: frequently asked questions

Straight answers to the questions product and engineering teams ask first.

How much does it cost to localize an app into Pashto and Dari?
Cost depends on the number of strings and screens, the platforms you ship, how ready your code is for right-to-left layouts, and whether you need continuous releases. We scope after a readiness review of your build and agree each phase before work starts.
Is Pashto written right to left?
Yes. Pashto and Dari are both written right to left in Arabic-based scripts, while numbers, codes and English words inside them run left to right. That mix is why apps need bidirectional text handling, not just a mirrored layout.
What is the difference between Dari and Farsi for app localization?
Dari as written in Afghanistan and Iranian Persian (Farsi) share a script and much of their grammar, but differ in vocabulary, spelling conventions and calendar month names. An app localized for Iran reads as foreign to Afghan users. We localize into Afghan Dari and set Afghan locale data.
Should we use prs or fa-AF as the locale code for Dari?
Both identify Dari, at different layers. prs is the ISO 639-3 code for Dari and a valid language tag in HTML. Platform locale data (CLDR and ICU) files Dari under fa-AF, and in our tests prs resolved to fa-AF in both Chromium and Node.js. We map each layer of your stack so Dari never falls back to Iranian Persian (fa-IR).
Why do Pashto dates show in English in our web app?
Some runtimes ship without Pashto locale data. In our September 2026 test, the Chromium 141 engine formatted ps-AF dates in English, while Node.js 22 with full ICU data returned a Pashto date that still carried a Latin “AP” era marker. We test each runtime you ship and add locale data or server-side formatting where it is missing.
What is RTL testing?
Right-to-left (RTL) testing checks that a product works in languages written right to left, such as Pashto and Dari: mirrored layouts and icons, bidirectional text with numbers and English words, fonts that render every letter, and correct locale formats. It is done on the running product, not on the translation file.
What is pseudo-localization and why do it first?
Pseudo-localization replaces your strings with longer, accented and mirrored test text, so a build shows hard-coded strings, truncation and right-to-left breakage before translation begins. Fixing those first makes Pashto and Dari testing faster and the release more predictable.
Do you localize and test iOS and Android apps?
Yes. We work in your resource files, including .strings, .xcstrings, strings.xml and ARB, and test builds on iOS and Android devices: mirrored navigation, gestures, Dynamic Type and screen readers in Pashto and Dari.
Can you work inside our CI/CD pipeline and translation management system?
Yes. We work in your repositories, translation management system and issue tracker, so new strings are translated, tested and signed off with each release instead of in large batches.
Which Afghan languages can you localize software into?
Pashto and Dari receive full localization and RTL QA. Hazaragi (a variety of Dari), Aimaq, Uzbeki, Turkmeni and Balochi are localized with native review. The other seventeen Afghan languages have limited written standards, so we scope content, terminology and audio for them by arrangement.
Which fonts support Pashto?
Latin fonts such as Inter, Open Sans and Roboto contain no Arabic-script letters at all, and some Arabic fonts leave out Pashto-specific letters. In our September 2026 test, Amiri, Harmattan, IBM Plex Sans Arabic, Lateef and others contained all twelve Pashto letters we check, while Almarai, Baloo Bhaijaan 2 and Cairo did not. We verify every font in your stack on every target platform.
How do you keep our code and data confidential?
Access is granted under NDA and limited to named Ariana Nexus team members. All work is done in-house, with no subcontractors or crowd platforms, and your strings are never used to train models.
Do you test accessibility in Pashto and Dari?
Yes. We check language attributes, screen reader pronunciation and focus order in right-to-left layouts, and report against WCAG 2.2, which covers the WCAG 2.0 criteria Section 508 incorporates and the WCAG 2.1 criteria in EN 301 549, the standard behind the European Accessibility Act.

Localization and RTL terms, defined

The vocabulary of localization engineering, as this page uses it.

Localization (l10n)
Adapting a product's language, formats and design for a specific locale, such as Pashto in Afghanistan.
Internationalization (i18n)
Engineering a product so it can be localized without code changes: externalized strings, locale-aware formatting and direction-agnostic layout.
Right-to-left (RTL)
A writing direction in which text starts at the right edge, as in Pashto, Dari and Arabic.
Bidirectional text (bidi)
Text that mixes right-to-left and left-to-right runs, handled by the Unicode Bidirectional Algorithm (UAX #9).
Pseudo-localization
Replacing strings with modified test text to reveal internationalization defects before translation.
Linguistic QA (LQA)
Review of translated text in context for accuracy, terminology, tone and fit on screen.
CLDR
The Unicode Common Locale Data Repository: the dates, numbers, calendars and names most platforms use for each locale.
ICU MessageFormat
A string syntax for plurals, gender and variables, so translators can write grammatical sentences.
Zero-width non-joiner (ZWNJ)
An invisible character, U+200C, that stops Dari and Pashto letters from joining where spelling requires a break.
Solar Hijri calendar
The solar calendar used in Afghanistan, with its own month names in Dari and Pashto.
prs
The ISO 639-3 language code for Dari; most locale data files it under fa-AF.
Logical properties
Layout values such as start and end that follow text direction instead of fixed left and right.

Plan your Pashto and Dari release

Tell us what you ship, where your users are and when you release. A partner will scope the localization and RTL QA with your team.

Start a localization engagement