---
title: placeholders
description: "The translation does not keep the placeholders of the source."
---

# `placeholders`

**Error** · The translation does not keep the placeholders of the source.

`git8n check` fails on this rule.

## Why it matters

The application fills each placeholder with a value. A translation that loses one hides the value, and a translation that adds one shows the raw placeholder.

## Invalid

`locales/en/common.json`

```json
{
  "greeting": "Hello {{name}}"
}
```

`locales/fr/common.json`

```json
{
  "greeting": "Bonjour"
}
```

```text
$ git8n check --source en
locales/fr/common.json
  error    common:greeting: lost {{name}}.  placeholders

Read more:
  placeholders  https://git8n.sakuga.dev/docs/reference/rules/placeholders.html

1 error, 0 warnings in 2 files (en → fr, 1 key).
```

## Valid

`locales/en/common.json`

```json
{
  "greeting": "Hello {{name}}"
}
```

`locales/fr/common.json`

```json
{
  "greeting": "Bonjour {{name}}"
}
```

```text
$ git8n check --source en
0 errors, 0 warnings in 2 files (en → fr, 1 key).
```

## What to do

Keep every placeholder of the source in the translation: `{{name}}`, `{name}`, `{0}`, `$t(…)`, a tag such as `<0>` or `<br/>`, `%s`, and with `--syntax vue-i18n` a linked message `@:key`. The branches of an ICU plural are text: translate them. The modifier of a linked message, `@.lower:key`, can change.

[All the rules](./index.md) · [The command `check`](../cli.md#check)