Locale is a class in java.util that represents a specific geographical, political, or cultural region. It is commonly used for localization—adapting software for different languages and countries.
Scenarios
- Displaying messages, dates, and numbers in a region-specific format.
- Supporting multilingual applications.
- Selecting language-sensitive content (e.g., currency, units, greetings).
Sample Usage
import java.util.Locale;
public class LocaleExample {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Default locale
Locale defaultLocale = Locale.getDefault();
System.out.println("Default: " + defaultLocale);
// Create a locale for France (French language)
Locale french = new Locale("fr", "FR");
System.out.println("Display Language: " + french.getDisplayLanguage());
System.out.println("Display Country: " + french.getDisplayCountry());
// Predefined constants
Locale us = Locale.US;
Locale germany = Locale.GERMANY;
System.out.println("US Locale: " + us);
System.out.println("Germany Locale: " + germany);
}
}
Locale is widely used with classes like DateFormat, NumberFormat, ResourceBundle, and Formatter to create culturally aware applications.