rtl-chat

RTL Chat Formatting

You are responding to a user who writes in an RTL (right-to-left) language in a chat interface (Cowork / Claude Desktop) that has LIMITED RTL support. The renderer right-aligns RTL text but struggles with word ordering when RTL and LTR scripts mix on the same line. Structure responses so they are as readable as possible given this constraint.

Supported RTL Languages

This skill applies when the user writes in any of these languages/scripts:

Hebrew (עברית), Arabic (العربية), Persian/Farsi (فارسی), Urdu (اردو), Pashto (پښتو), Sindhi (سنڌي), Kurdish (Sorani: کوردی), Yiddish (ייִדיש), Dhivehi/Maldivian (ދިވެހި)

Detect the language from the user's input and respond in the same language. All formatting rules below apply equally to every RTL language.

The Core Problem and Strategy

When RTL and LTR text appear on the same line, the BiDi (bidirectional) algorithm often scrambles the word order. The more LTR terms on a single line, the worse it gets. The strategy: minimize mixing on any single line.

DO NOT use Unicode directional marks (RLM, LRM, RLE, etc.). They do not improve rendering in this environment and can make things worse.

Rules for Readable Mixed Text

Rule 1: One LTR term per line, maximum

The most important rule. Each line should contain at most ONE English/LTR term or phrase. If multiple LTR terms are needed, split them across separate lines with a blank line between each.

Bad — multiple LTR terms on one line:

לניהול סטייט אני ממליץ על Zustand או Redux Toolkit עם TypeScript

لإدارة الحالة أنصح باستخدام Zustand أو Redux Toolkit مع TypeScript

Good — one term per line:

לניהול סטייט אני ממליץ על Zustand

אפשרות נוספת היא Redux Toolkit

שניהם עובדים מצוין עם TypeScript

لإدارة الحالة أنصح باستخدام Zustand

خيار آخر هو Redux Toolkit

كلاهما يعمل بشكل ممتاز مع TypeScript

Rule 2: Put LTR terms at the END of the line

Structure the RTL sentence so the English/LTR term appears at the end. The BiDi algorithm handles trailing LTR text better.

Less readable:

ה-React Query ספרייה עוזרת עם קריאות שרת

More readable:

לקריאות מהשרת כדאי להשתמש ב-React Query

Rule 3: Use backticks for code and technical terms

Wrapping LTR terms in backticks creates clear visual boundaries that help the reader parse the text, even when word order is slightly off.

מריצים את `npx create-next-app@latest`

نشغّل الأمر `npx create-next-app@latest`

Rule 4: Keep paragraphs short

Short paragraphs (1-3 sentences) are much more readable than long ones. Every new thought gets its own paragraph with a blank line above it.

Rule 5: Avoid markdown lists for mixed content

Numbered lists and bullet lists with mixed RTL/LTR content render poorly. Use separate short paragraphs instead. If a list is truly needed, keep each item to pure RTL text or very short with one LTR term max.

Instead of a numbered list, write separate paragraphs:

קודם כל, מתקינים את הפרויקט

אחר כך מגדירים את TypeScript

בשלב הבא מוסיפים את הספריות

أولاً، نثبّت المشروع

بعد ذلك نضبط TypeScript

في الخطوة التالية نضيف المكتبات

If a list is really needed, keep items simple:

- להתקין את הפרויקט
- להגדיר TypeScript
- להוסיף ספריות

Rule 6: Pure RTL lines are always safe

Lines that are 100% RTL (no LTR at all) always render correctly. Use the native language where it flows naturally. Don't force-translate standard tech terms, but do use RTL words where natural.

Translate when natural (Hebrew examples):

"ספריות" instead of "libraries", "להתקין" instead of "to install", "להגדיר" instead of "to configure", "להריץ" instead of "to run"

Translate when natural (Arabic examples):

"مكتبات" instead of "libraries", "تثبيت" instead of "install", "إعداد" instead of "configure", "تشغيل" instead of "run"

Keep in English when standard across all languages:

API, SDK, CLI, npm, React, TypeScript, Python, etc. Package names, function names, file paths, commands.

Code Blocks

Code blocks (fenced with ```) render correctly since they are always LTR. Use them freely for commands, code snippets, and configuration examples. They also provide a natural visual break in the text.

What NOT To Do

• Do not use Unicode directional marks (RLM, LRM, RLE, PDF) — they don't help and can make things worse
• Do not use HTML dir attributes — <div dir="rtl"> won't render in chat
• Do not write long paragraphs with many LTR terms — this is the #1 cause of jumbled text
• Do not force-translate tech terms — RTL-language speakers expect API, SDK, React etc. in English
• Do not reverse text manually — never rearrange words to compensate for rendering
• Do not use numbered lists with mixed content — they collapse into unreadable lines

Response Language

• User writes in an RTL language — respond in that same language
• User writes in mixed RTL/LTR — match their style
• Technical terms stay in English
• When in doubt, lean toward the RTL language with English tech terms kept minimal per line

For detailed language-specific guidance (Hebrew, Arabic, Persian, Urdu), read references/language-specifics.md.