feat(i18n): translate asset metadata via configurable hook (SIP-161)

[alex-poor]

SUMMARY

Revives SIP-161 (Translating Superset asset metadata) with a focused, minimal-core implementation of the read path.

Superset's built-in i18n (Flask-Babel/gettext) translates UI chrome but not user-authored content — chart names, dashboard titles, axis/metric labels. This PR lets a deployment localize that metadata so a chart named "Sales" can display as "Ventes" / "Hokohoko" per the viewer's locale, while the canonical stored name is never changed.

Design — aligned with the maintainer direction on the SIP (mistercrunch/rusackas, Apr 2025): keep core minimal and push storage/authoring to deployments.

• A configurable TRANSLATION_HOOK (default_text, locale, **context) -> str | None is the only integration point. Superset core does not store translations — the hook decides where they live (static map, external MT service, a table, .po catalogs, …).
• A {{ i18n('...') }} Jinja macro lets templated fields opt in.
• Gated by the ENABLE_I18N_ASSET_TRANSLATIONS feature flag and a multi-language LANGUAGES config, so single-language deployments pay zero cost.
• The canonical text is always a safe fallback (missing/erroring hook → original text), and edit flows always operate on the canonical name — a translation can never be persisted over the real name.

This is the read path only. Storage and an authoring UI are intentionally left out of core; a self-contained database-backed reference (table + hook + seeding) is provided under examples/ to show end-to-end authoring without shipping it as a supported component.

Surfaces localized: chart/dashboard lists & cards, dashboard view header, chart panel titles, home "Recents" cards, and {{ i18n() }}-wrapped templated fields.

BEFORE/AFTER SCREENSHOTS OR ANIMATED GIF

Verified locally end-to-end with a demo hook (en + Māori): list pages, cards, dashboard header, and chart panels display the localized name; edit modals/inline title editing show the canonical English name. (Screenshots to be added.)

TESTING INSTRUCTIONS

1. In superset_config.py:

   FEATURE_FLAGS = {"ENABLE_I18N_ASSET_TRANSLATIONS": True}
   LANGUAGES = {"en": {"flag": "us", "name": "English"},
                "fr": {"flag": "fr", "name": "French"}}
   def TRANSLATION_HOOK(default_text, locale, **kwargs):
       return {("fr", "Sales"): "Ventes"}.get((locale, default_text))

2. Name a chart "Sales", switch language to French, and view the chart/dashboard lists, cards, and dashboard — the name displays as "Ventes".
3. Open the chart's Properties modal — the Name field still shows "Sales" (canonical).
4. Switch back to English — the name reverts.

Automated: pytest tests/unit_tests/utils/i18n_test.py and the new recent_activity localization integration test in tests/integration_tests/log_api_tests.py; SliceHeader render tests cover the view-vs-edit behavior.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Has associated issue: revives [SIP-161] Translating Superset asset metadata #32854 (SIP-161)
• Required feature flags: ENABLE_I18N_ASSET_TRANSLATIONS
• Changes UI
• Includes DB Migration
• Introduces new feature or API
• Removes existing feature or API

Opened as a draft to restart the SIP-161 discussion with a concrete, reviewable read-path implementation. Storage/authoring deliberately deferred — feedback welcome on whether the hook contract is the right minimal-core surface.

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[codecov]

Codecov Report

❌ Patch coverage is 55.93220% with 26 lines in your changes missing coverage. Please review.
✅ Project coverage is 55.92%. Comparing base (c29591b) to head (b99a392).
⚠️ Report is 61 commits behind head on master.

Files with missing lines	Patch %	Lines
superset/utils/i18n.py	31.03%	20 Missing ⚠️
superset/daos/log.py	33.33%	2 Missing ⚠️
superset/jinja_context.py	33.33%	2 Missing ⚠️
superset/models/dashboard.py	75.00%	1 Missing ⚠️
superset/models/slice.py	75.00%	1 Missing ⚠️

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HEAD has 39 uploads less than BASE

Flag	BASE (c29591b)	HEAD (b99a392)
javascript	3	1
python	31	5
presto	3	1
hive	3	1
unit	10	3

Additional details and impacted files

@@            Coverage Diff             @@
##           master   #40679      +/-   ##
==========================================
- Coverage   63.94%   55.92%   -8.03%     
==========================================
  Files        2658     2659       +1     
  Lines      143011   143075      +64     
  Branches    32866    32880      +14     
==========================================
- Hits        91454    80015   -11439     
- Misses      49994    62372   +12378     
+ Partials     1563      688     -875     

Flag	Coverage Δ
hive	39.76% <46.93%> (+<0.01%)	⬆️
javascript	67.37% <100.00%> (+<0.01%)	⬆️
mysql	?
postgres	?
presto	41.36% <46.93%> (+<0.01%)	⬆️
python	42.68% <46.93%> (-17.28%)	⬇️
sqlite	?
unit	100.00% <ø> (ø)

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