There are a number of standard file formats that could be used when working on a localization project. Using common file formats is useful: they increase interoperability and ensure the data remain more opened and re-usable than with a proprietary format.

Here are some of these standard formats:

• The XML Localisation Interchange File Format (XLIFF)
• The Translation Memory eXchange file format (TMX)
• The TermBase eXchange file format (TBX, aka DXLT)
• The Open Lexicon Interchange Format (OLIF)
• the Segmentation Rules eXchange file format (SRX)
• OpenTag