What is OTA Only? Over-The-Air Translation Explained

In the fast-paced world of digital products, translation workflows can become a bottleneck. Traditional translation management systems require code changes, pull requests, and deployments for every translation update—a process that can take days or weeks. OTA Only (Over-The-Air) translation changes this paradigm entirely.

What is OTA Only?

OTA = Over-The-Air

OTA only means that translations do NOT return to your code repository. They don’t generate commits, pull requests, or require deployments. Your codebase stays exactly as it is, while translations are served dynamically from Azbox at runtime.

Key Characteristics of OTA Only:

• ✅ No Code Changes: Your repository remains untouched
• ✅ No Commits or PRs: Translations bypass version control entirely
• ✅ No Deployments: Updates go live instantly without server restarts
• ✅ Dynamic Serving: Translations are fetched from Azbox’s cloud platform at runtime
• ✅ Instant Updates: Changes appear to users immediately after publishing

Traditional Model vs. OTA Only

Let’s compare the two approaches side by side:

❌ Traditional Model (Lokalise / Transifex Classic)

In the traditional workflow, translations are managed as files in your codebase:

Repo
 └─ en.json
 └─ es.json
 └─ fr.json

The Flow:

1. Change a string in your code
2. Extract translations to JSON files
3. Send to translation platform (Lokalise, Transifex, etc.)
4. Translators work on the platform
5. Pull translations back to your repo
6. Create commit / PR with translation files
7. Code review and merge
8. Deploy to production
9. User sees the change ⏱️

Time to Market: Days or weeks, depending on your deployment cycle.

Challenges:

• Slow for copy changes, marketing updates, or hotfixes
• Requires developer involvement for every translation update
• Translation bugs require full deployment cycle to fix
• Can’t update translations independently of code releases
• Risk of breaking deployments if translation files have syntax errors

✅ OTA Only Model (Azbox)

In the OTA-only workflow, your repository contains only fallback files:

Repo
 └─ en.json (fallback only)

The Flow:

1. Change a translation in Azbox dashboard
2. Azbox publishes the translation instantly
3. App/Web receives it automatically via API
4. User sees the change ⏱️

Time to Market: Seconds to minutes.

Advantages:

• ⚡ Instant Updates: No deploy. No PR. No code changes.
• 🎯 Marketing Agility: Update marketing copy, promotions, or campaigns instantly
• 🐛 Hotfix Ready: Fix translation bugs immediately without waiting for deployments
• 👥 Non-Technical Friendly: Marketing and content teams can update translations independently
• 🔄 Independent Release Cycle: Update translations without coordinating with engineering
• 🛡️ Zero Deployment Risk: Translation updates can’t break your codebase

When to Use OTA Only

OTA-only translation is ideal for:

1. Marketing and Content Teams

Marketing teams need to update copy frequently for campaigns, promotions, and A/B tests. With OTA only, they can:

• Update promotional text instantly
• Test different messaging without developer involvement
• Fix typos or improve copy immediately
• Respond to market feedback in real-time

2. Rapid Iteration Products

Products that iterate quickly benefit from OTA only because:

• Translation updates don’t block feature releases
• You can ship features and translate them separately
• Faster time-to-market for new markets
• Ability to test translations before committing to code

3. Multi-Platform Products

If you have the same content across web, mobile apps, and other platforms:

• Update once in Azbox, all platforms receive it
• No need to coordinate deployments across platforms
• Consistent messaging across all touchpoints

4. High-Volume Translation Updates

When you’re frequently updating translations:

• Avoid repository bloat from constant translation file commits
• Reduce merge conflicts in translation files
• Keep your git history clean and focused on code changes

5. Emergency Fixes

For critical translation errors:

• Fix immediately without waiting for deployment windows
• No need to create hotfix releases just for translations
• Instant resolution for user-facing issues

How OTA Only Works with Azbox

Azbox’s OTA-only architecture is designed for modern, dynamic translation delivery:

1. Cloud-Based Translation Storage

All translations are stored in Azbox’s cloud platform, not in your repository. This centralizes translation management and enables instant updates.

2. Runtime Translation Fetching

Your application fetches translations at runtime via Azbox’s API:

• Translations are cached locally for performance
• Updates are fetched automatically when available
• Fallback to local files if API is unavailable

3. Automatic Caching

Azbox SDKs automatically cache translations:

• First load fetches from API
• Subsequent loads use cached versions
• Background updates refresh cache when new translations are available
• Works offline with cached translations

4. Version Control for Translations

While translations don’t go to your code repo, Azbox maintains:

• Translation history and versioning
• Rollback capabilities
• Translation approval workflows
• Audit trails for compliance

Hybrid Approach: Best of Both Worlds

Some teams use a hybrid approach:

• Code repository: Contains fallback translations (usually English)
• Azbox OTA: Serves all other languages and updates dynamically

This gives you:

• ✅ Safety net if API is unavailable (fallback to repo files)
• ✅ Instant updates for all languages via OTA
• ✅ Clean repository with minimal translation files
• ✅ Flexibility to switch between models if needed

Real-World Use Cases

Use Case 1: E-commerce Promotional Campaign

Scenario: Your marketing team wants to run a flash sale with time-sensitive messaging.

Traditional Model:

1. Marketing writes copy
2. Developer adds to code
3. Create PR, wait for review
4. Merge and deploy
5. Campaign goes live (hours or days later)

OTA Only:

1. Marketing updates copy in Azbox
2. Publish instantly
3. Campaign goes live (seconds later)

Use Case 2: Translation Bug Fix

Scenario: Users report that “Add to Cart” is mistranslated in French.

Traditional Model:

1. Fix translation in platform
2. Pull to repo
3. Create PR
4. Wait for next deployment cycle
5. Deploy fix (could be days)

OTA Only:

1. Fix translation in Azbox
2. Publish immediately
3. Users see fix within minutes

Use Case 3: A/B Testing Copy

Scenario: You want to test two different value propositions.

Traditional Model:

1. Create two versions in code
2. Deploy feature flag
3. Test, then remove losing variant
4. Multiple deployments required

OTA Only:

1. Create two translation variants in Azbox
2. Switch between them instantly
3. No code changes needed
4. Test and iterate rapidly

Performance Considerations

Caching Strategy

OTA-only translations are designed for performance:

• Initial Load: Fetches translations from API (one-time cost)
• Subsequent Loads: Uses cached translations (instant)
• Background Updates: Refreshes cache when new translations available
• Offline Support: Falls back to cached translations if API unavailable

Network Efficiency

• Translations are fetched once and cached
• Only changed translations are updated
• Minimal bandwidth usage
• Works efficiently even on slow connections

Security and Reliability

API Security

• All API calls use secure HTTPS
• API keys authenticate requests
• Rate limiting prevents abuse
• Encrypted data transmission

Reliability

• Fallback to local files if API unavailable
• Automatic retry mechanisms
• CDN distribution for global performance
• 99.9% uptime SLA

Migration to OTA Only

If you’re currently using a traditional model, migrating to OTA only is straightforward:

1. Keep Fallback Files: Maintain English (or primary language) in your repo
2. Connect Azbox: Integrate Azbox SDK into your application
3. Import Existing Translations: Import your current translation files to Azbox
4. Switch to OTA: Configure app to fetch from Azbox API
5. Remove Translation Files: Optionally remove other language files from repo

The migration can be done gradually, testing OTA for new languages while keeping existing ones in the repo until you’re confident.

Conclusion

OTA Only represents a fundamental shift in how translations are managed and delivered. By decoupling translations from code deployments, teams gain:

• ⚡ Speed: Instant translation updates
• 🎯 Agility: Marketing and content teams can work independently
• 🐛 Reliability: Fix translation issues immediately
• 🔄 Flexibility: Update translations without code releases
• 👥 Collaboration: Non-technical team members can manage translations

For modern digital products that need to move fast and respond to market changes quickly, OTA Only is not just an option—it’s a competitive advantage.

Ready to experience the power of OTA-only translations?

Explore Azbox Plans and see how instant translation updates can transform your workflow.