RTL (Right-to-Left) Learning Design
Also known as RTL · التصميم من اليمين إلى اليسار (RTL)
Definition
RTL design adapts a learning interface for right-to-left languages such as Arabic: mirroring layout and navigation, flipping directional icons and progress indicators, aligning text and tables to the right, and handling bidirectional text where Latin terms, numbers or code appear inside Arabic sentences.
Most of the skill lies in knowing what stays unmirrored. Layout, navigation order and directional arrows flip; clocks, media playback controls, numerals and logos do not. Interfaces that mirror everything mechanically look broken to Arabic speakers.
Bidirectional text causes many of the remaining defects. An English acronym or a version number inside an Arabic sentence can push punctuation and brackets to the wrong end unless the markup marks the boundary. These defects cluster on small screens and in tables. Test RTL on a phone, in Arabic, before every release.