Avoid setting a default language #4
Description
Currently, mkdocs-static-i18n requires the definition of a default language for multilingual sites. CIOOS itself would ideally not have a default language and would redirect the user to the user specific language by default.
Some use cases (as discussed in PR #322) suggest a more flexible approach with mkdocs-static-i18n: allowing all languages to be explicitly mapped to subpaths, avoiding the need for a default language.
Proposed behavior:
- Each supported language is mapped to its own subpath (e.g.,
/en/,/fr/,/es/), with no language served at the site root by default. - Visiting the site root (e.g.,
/) should redirect the user to the appropriate language subpath based on browser language detection. - This approach aligns with common multilingual site practices and enhances clarity and predictability for both users and maintainers.
Benefits:
- Avoids ambiguity and maintenance overhead associated with a default language.
- Simplifies URL structure and makes language detection/selection explicit.
- Facilitates international SEO and analytics.
References:
- PR #322: Initial discussion around subdirectory support for all languages.
Suggestion:
- Status on a default language to use, currently french is default.
- Potentially use the PR version of the package to implement this feature or define which language should be the default.
Consider implementing a configuration option that allows disabling the default language requirement and enabling browser-based language redirection from the base URL to the appropriate language subpath.