How to properly design a database for multi-language websites

When starting to build a website in multiple languages, we often wonder if we need to create a separate table for each language. The answer is a definitive NO.

Why use only one table?

Using a single table brings key advantages, which are shown below:

Practical Example: The "customers" table

Below is the SQL code for creating a universal table:

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS stranke (
    id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
    ime VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL, -- First Name
    priimek VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL, -- Last Name
    ulica VARCHAR(100), -- Street
    hisna_stevilka VARCHAR(10), -- House Number
    posta VARCHAR(50), -- City/Post Office
    postna_stevilka VARCHAR(10) -- Postal Code
);

In the PHP code, we then only change the table headers (e.g., "Ime" in Slovenian and "First Name" in English), while the data remains the same.