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xili-language

By Michel - xiligroup dev

Multilingual & Accessibility / Translation & Multilingual Management

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

xili-language Review - In-Depth Analysis

xili-language enables the creation and management of multilingual WordPress sites. It automatically selects the appropriate language based on the current post or page, allowing for seamless language integration.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.64/10

User Rating

3.9/5 (based on 14+ reviews)

Active Installations

600+

Update Frequency

Very Good It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

5 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

xili-language provides a solution for creating bilingual or multilingual websites by automatically selecting the language based on the current post or page. This feature allows themes to behave according to the selected language, fully customizable through settings, hooks, and API.

The plugin offers a user-friendly interface that helps authors write, edit, and modify articles along with their translations. Users can also choose their dashboard language, enhancing the authoring experience.

Compatible with both standalone WordPress installations and multisite networks, xili-language utilizes custom taxonomies to define the language of posts, pages, and custom posts. It is designed for developers and CMS designers, ensuring compatibility with the WordPress JSON REST API.

Comparing to Alternatives

xili-language is a multilingual plugin with some unique features but faces competition from several well-established alternatives in the WordPress ecosystem.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Supports multilingual child themes with powerful customization options
Does not create new database tables, keeping the database cleaner
Allows language codes longer than 2 characters in URLs
No cookies used in post edit tables, improving performance
Offers a class for developers to enhance multilingual child themes

Weaknesses

User interface is not intuitive and can be confusing for new users
Documentation and plugin language contain poor English, complicating understanding
Compatibility issues with certain WordPress versions causing errors
Difficulties in uninstalling the plugin in multisite environments

User Sentiment Analysis

With a 3.9 average rating from 14 reviews, most users appreciate the plugin's capabilities, though a significant minority report serious issues.

Positive highlights

'Powerful for web designer' appreciating the plugin's long-term feature development (Marcel Andrew)
'Good job!! It works correctly as desired' (Branike)
Acknowledgement of the plugin's unique approach to multilingual child themes (Marcel Andrew)
Recognition of the plugin's functionality despite a learning curve (Juddi22)

Common complaints

Severe compatibility issues causing Error 500 and database errors on activation
Deactivation leads to site content and menu disruptions

Weaknesses

Confusing and non-intuitive user interface
Poor English in plugin and documentation
Difficult plugin removal in multisite setups
Compatibility problems with some WordPress versions

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Developers and advanced users who need deep multilingual customization, especially those working with child themes and who can handle a steeper learning curve.

Not ideal for

Casual users or site owners seeking an easy-to-use multilingual plugin without compatibility risks or complex setup, especially in multisite environments.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The plugin offers a fully functional free version with multilingual support and developer-focused features.

Final Verdict

xili-language stands out for its developer-centric features and unique approach to multilingual child themes, making it a powerful tool for advanced users. However, its usability challenges, compatibility issues, and security vulnerabilities require caution.

Users seeking a robust multilingual solution with better support and ease of use might consider alternatives like Polylang or WPGlobus. Those comfortable with technical complexities and willing to manage potential risks may find xili-language valuable.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free xili-language plugin.

.mo File

Language

Localization

Multilingual

Taxonomy

Screenshots

FAQ

It is the most recent way to add multilingual menus at a location in a theme. This method uses insertion point that will live choose the menu structure according current targeted language.

see this howto page