Translation Memory Formats: TMX, XLIFF, and More

Understanding translation memory and interchange formats is essential for translators who work with multiple clients and CAT tools. Standard formats ensure that your translation work remains portable and valuable regardless of the tools you use.

TMX (Translation Memory eXchange) is the most important standard format. Developed and maintained by OASIS, TMX allows translation memories to be shared between different CAT tools. TMX files store source segments and their target translations in XML format, with metadata about creation date, user, and match quality. Most CAT tools support TMX import and export. XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format) is the standard for exchanging translatable content between tools during the translation process. It wraps source text, target translation, and metadata in an XML structure that can be processed by any XLIFF-compliant tool.

TBX (TermBase eXchange) handles terminology database exchange between tools. It stores terms along with definitions, usage notes, and metadata. SRX (Segmentation Rules eXchange) defines rules for breaking text into segments for translation. GMX (Global Information Locale Specification) covers metrics for word counting and quality evaluation. For day-to-day work, translators primarily need to understand TMX (for TM portability) and XLIFF (for project exchange). Exporting your TMs in TMX format regularly ensures you can switch CAT tools or share your work with clients who require specific formats.