Fallback chains

This guide applies to the branch selected in Current branch. Keys, values, languages, tags and file mappings are independent between branches. See branch navigation and branch permissions.

A fallback chain describes the order configured for a target language. Every target has one link, and every chain ends at the project’s source language.

Before you change a fallback

You must be Owner/Admin in an active workspace, project and branch. The destination language must already be active in the same branch. You can inspect chains with any workspace role.

The source has no fallback. Targets initially point directly to it.

Set the order

1. Open the project’s Languages page.
2. Select the language you want to configure.
3. Review Fallback chain.
4. Choose an active Fallback language.
5. Select Save fallback and inspect the updated chain.

For example, with en as the source and fr and fr-CA as targets, set fr-CA to fall back to fr. Leave fr pointing to en:

Configured order

fr-CA → fr → en

The fr-CA → fr relationship must be configured explicitly. Localisync does not infer it from the region code.

Configuration preview

The editor preserves each language’s independent Missing status. Release validation follows this chain to report direct, fallback-resolved and unresolved translations without changing stored values. The delivery protocol carries the chain and the resolved value’s locale rules; native SDK implementations remain a separate phase.

Rejected changes

Change	Why it is rejected	Resolution
A language points to itself	The chain cannot progress.	Choose another active language.
Two or more languages form a cycle	The chain cannot reach the source.	Redirect one link toward the source.
Destination is inactive	Fallback targets must be active.	Reactivate it or choose another target.
Destination is in another branch	Chains are scoped to one branch.	Add or choose an appropriate language here.
Source receives a fallback	The source terminates the chain.	Configure a target language instead.

Deactivation dependencies

In the example above, fr cannot be deactivated while fr-CA points to it. This remains true even if fr-CA is inactive.

To deactivate fr, change fr-CA to point to en, save, and then deactivate fr. If the error lists several dependents, change all listed incoming links first.

An inactive target retains its own fallback and may have that link changed while the branch, project and workspace are active. Reactivation checks the preserved chain.