---
title: "Languages | JavaScript maps SDK"
description: "List of supported languages and shorthand codes for map labels."
---

> For AI agents: a documentation index is available at [/llms.txt](https://docs.maptiler.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of all pages are available by appending .md to any URL.

# Languages ![MapTiler logo](https://docs.maptiler.com/favicon.ico)

The MapTiler SDK JS has a built-in list of compatible languages, which can be used as shorthand for the [ISO language codes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_639-1) used to define the language of the map labels. The language generally depends on the map’s style.

The MapTiler SDK JS also provides seamless support for **right-to-left languages**. Arabic, Hebrew, and other right-to-left languages are fully supported by default. No extra plugins are needed.

Check out the [complete list of supported languages](https://github.com/maptiler/maptiler-client-js/blob/main/src/language.ts). In addition to the built-in ISO languages, there are these special cases for supported languages:

-   `Language.AUTO`: uses the default language of the browser
-   `Language.LATIN`: uses the default fallback language in the Latin charset
-   `Language.LOCAL`: uses the local language for each country
-   `Language.NON_LATIN`: uses the default fallback language in the non-Latin charset
-   `Language.STYLE`: uses the language defined by the style
    
    Warning
    
    `Language.STYLE` is the default state. Once you switch the language from `STYLE`, you **cannot switch it back**.
    
-   `Language.STYLE_LOCK`: keep the language from the style and prevent any further updates
    
    Warning
    
    `Language.STYLE_LOCK` should **only** be used in the **constructor**.
    
-   `Language.VISITOR`: uses the preferred language from the user settings and the “default name”. This mode is useful when a user needs to access both local names and English names, for example, when traveling abroad where signs are likely to be available only in the local language.
-   `Language.VISITOR_ENGLISH`: uses English and the “default name”. This mode is useful when a user needs to access both local names and English names, for example, when traveling abroad where signs are likely to be available only in the local language.

Note

The “default name” is equivalent to OSM’s `{name}`, which is either the most globally recognized name or the local name.

## API reference

[Variable Language](https://docs.maptiler.com/sdk-js/api-reference/variables/Language/)

## Related examples

-   [How to change the default map labels language](https://docs.maptiler.com/sdk-js/examples/language-map/)
-   [How to change the map labels language based on visitor’s location](https://docs.maptiler.com/sdk-js/examples/ip-map-language/)
-   [Change a map’s language](https://docs.maptiler.com/sdk-js/examples/language-switch/)
-   [Display and style rich text labels](https://docs.maptiler.com/sdk-js/examples/display-and-style-rich-text-labels/)