Joomla Documenter Manual

PHP Developer Language Analysis¶

I asked ChatGPT this question:

Do you have any information on the number or proportion of PHP developers in world who do not speak or read English? We are having an argument on whether or not to translate developer documentation into several popular languages.

Response¶

There isn't a precise, widely available dataset that directly breaks down the number or proportion of PHP developers globally who do not speak or read English. However, some insights can guide the discussion:

1. English as the Lingua Franca in Software Development¶

• Historically, English has been the dominant language for software development, particularly for programming languages like PHP, whose documentation is primarily in English.
• Major platforms, frameworks, and libraries used by PHP developers (like Composer, Symfony, Laravel, and WordPress) typically maintain English as the default language for documentation.
• GitHub and Stack Overflow, which are key resources for developers worldwide, are also predominantly English-based, with many contributors and discussions conducted in English.

2. Global Distribution of PHP Developers¶

• PHP is popular worldwide, with significant developer communities in countries like India, Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, Egypt, and many parts of Europe and Asia. Many of these regions have large populations where English is not the primary language.
• Non-native English speakers form a large proportion of the developer community. In surveys like Stack Overflow's Developer Survey, we see large developer communities in countries where English is not the first language, such as China, Russia, Brazil, and India. However, a significant portion of these developers can understand English at least to some degree, given the prevalence of English documentation.

3. Translation and Localized Documentation Trends¶

• Major platforms and languages like JavaScript (Vue.js), Python, and Java have had community-driven translation projects for developer documentation in languages like Spanish, Chinese, and Russian.
• Some PHP projects (like Laravel) have localized documentation in languages such as Spanish, French, and Chinese. This suggests that there is demand for non-English documentation, especially in countries with large developer communities that don’t use English as their first language.

4. Stack Overflow Data¶

• In the 2023 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, a large percentage of respondents indicated that they were non-native English speakers. While most professional developers globally do understand some level of English, there's a considerable portion for whom reading and writing documentation in their native language would improve comprehension and productivity.

5. Developer Survey Insights (Estimates)¶

• In surveys, around 35-50% of developers globally are not native English speakers. Among these, a notable fraction might prefer to read technical material in their native language, especially in countries like China, Japan, and Russia.
• Countries with a significant proportion of non-English speaking PHP developers include:
  • Brazil (Portuguese)
  • Russia (Russian)
  • China (Chinese)
  • France (French)
  • Germany (German)

6. Reasons to Translate Developer Documentation¶

• Increased Accessibility: Even if developers are capable of understanding English, it is often more efficient and comfortable to work in one's native language.
• Better Learning Experience: For newer developers, especially those who are not fluent in English, localized documentation can make the learning process easier and less intimidating.
• Business Expansion: If your product or platform wants to reach non-English-speaking markets more effectively, localized documentation can help penetrate these regions.

Recommendations:¶

If your team is debating translating PHP developer documentation, it could be useful to prioritize languages based on where the largest non-English PHP developer populations reside. The top candidates for translated documentation might include:

• Spanish (Latin America, Spain)
• Portuguese (Brazil)
• Chinese (Mainland China)
• Russian (Russia, Eastern Europe)
• French (France, parts of Africa)
• German (Germany, Central Europe)

Conclusion¶

While a significant proportion of PHP developers are likely to understand English, many developers globally could benefit from translated documentation. The decision to translate depends on your target audience and the regions you want to serve, but for larger non-English speaking communities, it can enhance accessibility and developer experience significantly.