diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 417a17773b9c..e072e5d7a0e6 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -90,3 +90,4 @@ third-party/libcrafter/
 prime/
 stage/
 parts/
+hooks/.enabled
diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 5b326e59dcb5..d0bcd09b9da0 100755
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ endif
 
 .NOTPARALLEL: default all
 
-default: $(NDPI_LIB_DEP) $(LIB_TARGETS) $(TARGET)
+default: hooks/.enabled $(NDPI_LIB_DEP) $(LIB_TARGETS) $(TARGET)
 
 all: default
 
@@ -188,6 +188,10 @@ $(LIBRRDTOOL_LIB):
 $(JSON_LIB):
 	cd $(JSON_HOME); ./autogen.sh; ./configure; @GMAKE@
 
+hooks/.enabled:
+	git config core.hooksPath hooks || true
+	touch hooks/.enabled
+
 clean:
 	-rm -f src/*.o src/*~ include/*~ *~ #config.h
 	-rm -f $(TARGET)
diff --git a/hooks/pre-commit b/hooks/pre-commit
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..047d42be05a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hooks/pre-commit
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+if which lua 2>&1 >/dev/null; then
+	# Sort locales
+	for fname in `ls scripts/locales`; do
+		full_path=scripts/locales/${fname}
+
+		if ! git diff --staged --quiet $full_path; then
+			locale=${fname%%.lua}
+			tools/localization/localize.sh sort $locale
+			git add $full_path
+		fi
+	done
+fi
+
+if which uglifyjs 2>&1 >/dev/null; then
+	# Minify scripts
+	if ! git diff --staged --quiet httpdocs/js; then
+		make minify
+		git add -u httpdocs/js/*.min.js
+		git add -u httpdocs/js/*.min.js.map
+	fi
+fi
diff --git a/tools/localization/README.md b/tools/localization/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c95bc439a3a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/localization/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+# Localization tools
+
+The tool `localize.sh` can be used to perform many localization checks and
+operations to complement the actual file localization tasks.
+
+Here are some examples of what to do in order to fulfil the localization
+requirements.
+
+## After a manual modification of a localization file the file must be sorted
+```
+tools/localization/localize.sh sort en
+```
+
+## Verify the current localization status of a language
+```
+tools/localization/localize.sh status de
+```
+
+## Send the new strings to localize to a third party
+```
+tools/localization/localize.sh missing de > to_localize_de.txt
+```
+
+This will generate the `to_localize_de.txt` which can be sent to the third party
+translator. It has the following format:
+
+```
+lang.manage_users.manage = "Manage"
+lang.manage_users.manage_user_x = "Manage User %{user}"
+...
+```
+
+*Important*: the third party translator should only modify the strings located at the
+*right* of the `=` sign while trying to maintain the same punctation and format used.
+Strings enclosed in curly braces `%{user}` *should not* be localized.
+
+Moreover, the translator should not modify *the structure* of the txt file. After
+translating the file, the translator should send back the modified text file.
+
+Here is an example of the localized version of `to_localize_de.txt`:
+
+```
+lang.manage_users.manage = "Verwalten"
+lang.manage_users.manage_user_x = "Verwalte User %{user}"
+...
+```
+
+By keeping the file format consistent, the localized strings can be easily
+integrated as explained below.
+
+## Integrate the third party localized strings
+```
+tools/localization/localize.sh extend de path_to_localized_strings.txt
+```
diff --git a/tools/localization/localize.sh b/tools/localization/localize.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..357d16039b21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/localization/localize.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+function usage {
+  echo -e "Usage: `basename $0` action parameters"
+  echo
+  echo -e "Actions:"
+  echo -e " sort [lang]: sorts the specified localization file after modification"
+  echo -e " status [lang]: verifies the localization status of lang"
+  echo -e " missing [lang]: get a report of missing strings to localize for the lang"
+  echo -e " all [lang]: get a report of all the localized strings for lang"
+  echo -e " extend [lang] [extension_txt]: extends the localization with a localized report"
+  echo
+  echo -e "A report is in the format:"
+  echo -e " lang.manage_users.manage = \"Verwalten\""
+  echo -e " lang.manage_users.manage_user_x = \"Verwalte User %{user}\""
+  echo -e " ..."
+  exit 1
+}
+
+# pro root
+base_path="../tools/localization"
+root_path=".."
+
+if [[ -d src ]]; then
+  # ntopng root
+  base_path="tools/localization"
+  root_path="."
+elif [[ ! -d tools ]]; then
+  # inside localization folder
+  base_path="."
+  root_path="../../.."
+fi
+
+if [[ $# -lt 1 ]]; then
+  usage
+fi
+
+case $1 in
+sort)
+  lang=$2
+  if [[ -z $lang ]]; then usage; fi
+
+  lua "$base_path/sort_localization_file.lua" "$lang"
+  ;;
+status)
+  lang=$2
+  if [[ -z $lang ]]; then usage; fi
+
+  "$base_path/missing_localization.py" "$root_path/scripts/locales/en.lua" "$root_path/pro/scripts/locales/${lang}.lua" | grep -v ".nedge."
+  ;;
+missing)
+  lang=$2
+  if [[ -z $lang ]]; then usage; fi
+
+  "$base_path/missing_localization.py" "$root_path/scripts/locales/en.lua" "$root_path/pro/scripts/locales/${lang}.lua" | grep -v ".nedge." | awk '{ $1=""; $2 = ""; print $0; }'
+  ;;
+all)
+  lang=$2
+  if [[ -z $lang ]]; then usage; fi
+  loc_path=
+
+  if [[ $lang == "en" ]]; then
+    loc_path="$root_path/scripts/locales"
+  else
+    loc_path="$root_path/pro/scripts/locales"
+  fi
+  "$base_path/missing_localization.py" /dev/null "${loc_path}/${lang}.lua" | grep -v ".nedge." | awk '{ $1=""; $2 = ""; print $0; }'
+  ;;
+extend)
+  lang=$2
+  extension_file=$3
+  if [[ -z $lang ]]; then usage; fi
+  if [[ -z $extension_file ]]; then usage; fi
+
+  lua "$base_path/sort_localization_file.lua" "$lang" "$extension_file"
+  ;;
+*)  usage
+esac
diff --git a/tools/localization/missing_localization.py b/tools/localization/missing_localization.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..50882f6b898a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/localization/missing_localization.py
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+#
+# missing_localization.py                                     Emanuele Faranda
+# A tool to find missing localization strings
+#
+# Sample invocation:
+#   tools/localization/missing_localization.py scripts/locales/en.lua pro/scripts/locales/de.lua | grep -v ".nedge." | awk '{ $2 = ""; print $0; }'
+
+import sys
+import difflib
+
+def extract_table_key(x):
+  if x.startswith('["') and x.endswith('"]'):
+    return x[2:-2]
+  return x
+
+class LocalizationFile(object):
+  def __init__(self, name):
+    self.f = open(name, "r", encoding='UTF-8')
+    self.next_skip = False
+    self.cur_section = []
+    self.line_no = 0
+
+  def __iter__(self):
+    return self
+
+  # Iterates on localization ids
+  def __next__(self):
+    while True:
+      line = next(self.f).strip()
+      self.line_no += 1
+      is_section_start = line.endswith("{") and line.find(" = ") != None
+      is_section_end = line.startswith("}")
+
+      if is_section_start:
+        self.cur_section.append(extract_table_key(line.split(" = ", 1)[0].split()[-1]))
+      elif is_section_end:
+        self.cur_section.pop()
+      elif not line.startswith("--") and self.cur_section:
+        if not self.next_skip:
+          value = line.split("=", 1)
+
+          if len(value) == 2:
+            localized_id, localized_str = value
+            localized_id = extract_table_key(localized_id.strip())
+            localized_str = localized_str.strip().strip(",").strip('"')
+
+            if localized_str.endswith(".."):
+              # String continues on next line
+              self.next_skip = True
+
+            return ".".join(self.cur_section) + "." + localized_id, self.line_no, localized_str
+        else:
+          self.next_skip = line.endswith("..")
+
+# Wrapper to provide len and indexing on the LocalizationFile
+class LocalizationReaderWrapper(object):
+  def __init__(self, localization_file_obj):
+    self.localiz_obj = localization_file_obj
+    self.lines = []
+    self.line_id_to_line = {}
+    self.populateLines()
+
+  def __len__(self):
+    return len(self.lines)
+
+  def __getitem__(self, idx):
+      return self.lines[idx]
+
+  def __iter__(self):
+    return self.lines.__iter__()
+
+  def populateLines(self):
+    for line in self.localiz_obj:
+      self.lines.append(line[0])
+      self.line_id_to_line[line[0]] = line
+
+  def getLineInfo(self, line_id):
+    return self.line_id_to_line[line_id]
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+  def usage():
+    print("Usage: " + sys.argv[0] + " base_file cmp_file")
+    exit(1)
+
+  if len(sys.argv) != 3:
+    usage()
+
+  base_file = LocalizationReaderWrapper(LocalizationFile(sys.argv[1]))
+  cmp_file = LocalizationReaderWrapper(LocalizationFile(sys.argv[2]))
+  difftool = difflib.Differ()
+  diff = difftool.compare(base_file, cmp_file)
+
+  for line in diff:
+    if not line.startswith(" "):
+      if line.startswith("-"):
+        wrapper = base_file
+      elif line.startswith("+"):
+        wrapper = cmp_file
+      else:
+        print(line)
+        continue
+
+      line_info = wrapper.getLineInfo(line.split()[-1])
+
+      print("%d) %s = \"%s\"" % (
+        line_info[1],
+        line,
+        line_info[2],
+      ))
diff --git a/tools/localization/persistence.lua b/tools/localization/persistence.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5b0a9a4e39d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/localization/persistence.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,218 @@
+-- Adapted from http://lua-users.org/wiki/TablePersistence to preserve order and
+-- put single values at the end of the stream
+
+local write, writeIndent, writers, refCount;
+
+function pairsByKeyVals(t, f)
+  local a = {}
+
+  -- io.write(debug.traceback().."\n")
+  for n in pairs(t) do table.insert(a, n) end
+  table.sort(a, function(x, y) return f(x, y, t[x], t[y]) end)
+  local i = 0      -- iterator variable
+  local iter = function ()   -- iterator function
+    i = i + 1
+    if a[i] == nil then return nil
+    else return a[i], t[a[i]]
+    end
+  end
+  return iter
+end
+function asc_table_after(a,b,t_a,t_b)
+  local a_is_table = (type(t_a) == "table")
+  local b_is_table = (type(t_b) == "table")
+
+  if a_is_table and not b_is_table then
+    return false
+  elseif not a_is_table and b_is_table then
+    return true
+  else
+    return (a < b)
+  end
+end
+
+persistence =
+{
+  store = function (path, ...)
+    local file, e = io.open(path, "w");
+    if not file then
+      return error(e);
+    end
+    local n = select("#", ...);
+    -- Count references
+    local objRefCount = {}; -- Stores reference that will be exported
+    for i = 1, n do
+      refCount(objRefCount, (select(i,...)));
+    end;
+    -- Export Objects with more than one ref and assign name
+    -- First, create empty tables for each
+    local objRefNames = {};
+    local objRefIdx = 0;
+
+    local has_objRefCount = false
+    for obj, count in pairs(objRefCount) do
+      if count > 1 then
+        has_objRefCount = true
+        break
+      end
+    end
+
+    if has_objRefCount then
+      file:write("-- Persistent Data\n");
+      file:write("local multiRefObjects = {\n");
+      for obj, count in pairs(objRefCount) do
+        if count > 1 then
+          objRefIdx = objRefIdx + 1;
+          objRefNames[obj] = objRefIdx;
+          file:write("{};"); -- table objRefIdx
+        end;
+      end;
+      file:write("\n} -- multiRefObjects\n");
+
+      -- Then fill them (this requires all empty multiRefObjects to exist)
+      for obj, idx in pairs(objRefNames) do
+        for k, v in pairs(obj) do
+          file:write("multiRefObjects["..idx.."][");
+          write(file, k, 0, objRefNames);
+          file:write("] = ");
+          write(file, v, 0, objRefNames);
+          file:write("\n");
+        end;
+      end;
+    end
+    -- Create the remaining objects
+    for i = 1, n do
+      local suffix = ""
+      if i > 1 then
+        suffix = (i-1) .. ""
+      end
+      file:write("local ".."lang"..suffix.." = ");
+      write(file, (select(i,...)), 0, objRefNames);
+      file:write("\n");
+    end
+    -- Return them
+    if n > 0 then
+      file:write("\nreturn lang");
+      for i = 2, n do
+        file:write(" ,lang"..(i-1));
+      end;
+      file:write("\n");
+    else
+      file:write("return\n");
+    end;
+    if type(path) == "string" then
+      file:close();
+    end;
+  end;
+
+  load = function (path)
+    local f, e;
+    if type(path) == "string" then
+      f, e = loadfile(path);
+    else
+      f, e = path:read('*a')
+    end
+    if f then
+      return f();
+    else
+      return nil, e;
+    end;
+  end;
+}
+
+-- Private methods
+
+-- write thing (dispatcher)
+write = function (file, item, level, objRefNames)
+  writers[type(item)](file, item, level, objRefNames);
+end;
+
+-- write indent
+writeIndent = function (file, level)
+  for i = 1, level do
+    file:write("  ");
+  end;
+end;
+
+-- recursively count references
+refCount = function (objRefCount, item)
+  -- only count reference types (tables)
+  if type(item) == "table" then
+    -- Increase ref count
+    if objRefCount[item] then
+      objRefCount[item] = objRefCount[item] + 1;
+    else
+      objRefCount[item] = 1;
+      -- If first encounter, traverse
+      for k, v in pairs(item) do
+        refCount(objRefCount, k);
+        refCount(objRefCount, v);
+      end;
+    end;
+  end;
+end;
+
+-- Format items for the purpose of restoring
+writers = {
+  ["nil"] = function (file, item)
+      file:write("nil");
+    end;
+  ["number"] = function (file, item)
+      file:write(tostring(item));
+    end;
+  ["string"] = function (file, item)
+      file:write(string.format("%q", item));
+    end;
+  ["boolean"] = function (file, item)
+      if item then
+        file:write("true");
+      else
+        file:write("false");
+      end
+    end;
+  ["table"] = function (file, item, level, objRefNames)
+      local refIdx = objRefNames[item];
+      if refIdx then
+        -- Table with multiple references
+        file:write("multiRefObjects["..refIdx.."]");
+      else
+        -- Single use table
+        file:write("{\n");
+        for k, v in pairsByKeyVals(item, asc_table_after) do
+          writeIndent(file, level+1);
+          file:write("[");
+          write(file, k, level+1, objRefNames);
+          file:write("] = ");
+          write(file, v, level+1, objRefNames);
+          file:write(",\n");
+        end
+        writeIndent(file, level);
+        file:write("}");
+      end;
+    end;
+  ["function"] = function (file, item)
+      -- Does only work for "normal" functions, not those
+      -- with upvalues or c functions
+      local dInfo = debug.getinfo(item, "uS");
+      if dInfo.nups > 0 then
+        file:write("nil --[[functions with upvalue not supported]]");
+      elseif dInfo.what ~= "Lua" then
+        file:write("nil --[[non-lua function not supported]]");
+      else
+        local r, s = pcall(string.dump,item);
+        if r then
+          file:write(string.format("loadstring(%q)", s));
+        else
+          file:write("nil --[[function could not be dumped]]");
+        end
+      end
+    end;
+  ["thread"] = function (file, item)
+      file:write("nil --[[thread]]\n");
+    end;
+  ["userdata"] = function (file, item)
+      file:write("nil --[[userdata]]\n");
+    end;
+}
+
+return persistence
diff --git a/tools/localization/persistence.luar b/tools/localization/persistence.luar
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..fda590cf4dbf
Binary files /dev/null and b/tools/localization/persistence.luar differ
diff --git a/tools/localization/sort_localization_file.lua b/tools/localization/sort_localization_file.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..089833d7c2b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/localization/sort_localization_file.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+-- A script to sort a localization file
+
+local community_base_path = "scripts/locales"
+local pro_base_path = "pro/scripts/locales"
+
+if (#arg ~= 1) and (#arg ~= 2) then
+  print([[Usage: lua ]] .. arg[0] .. [[ localization_code [merge_strings]
+
+The merge_strings parameter can be used to load additional strings to merge into
+the localization. The strings should be a list similar to this:
+
+  lang.manage_users.add_new_user = "Add New User"
+  lang.manage_users.expires_after = "Expires after"
+
+Example: ]] .. arg[0] .. [[ en"]])
+
+  os.exit(1)
+end
+
+local lang_code = arg[1]
+local merge_strings_file = arg[2]
+
+local root_path
+local pkgpath_path
+local base_path
+
+local function file_exists(name)
+   local f=io.open(name,"r")
+   if f~=nil then io.close(f) return true else return false end
+end
+
+if file_exists("persistence.lua") then
+  -- localization folder
+  root_path = "../../.."
+  pkgpath_path = "."
+elseif file_exists("src/Ntop.cpp") then
+  -- ntopng root
+  root_path = "."
+  pkgpath_path = "tools/localization"
+else
+  -- pro root
+  root_path = ".."
+  pkgpath_path = "../tools/localization"
+end
+
+package.path = pkgpath_path .. "/?.lua;" .. package.path
+
+if file_exists(root_path.."/"..community_base_path.."/"..lang_code..".lua") then
+  base_path = root_path.."/"..community_base_path
+else
+  base_path = root_path.."/"..pro_base_path
+end
+
+package.path = base_path .. "/?.lua;" .. package.path
+local persistance = require("persistence")
+local lang_file = base_path .. "/" .. lang_code .. ".lua"
+
+local lang = require(lang_code)
+
+if merge_strings_file then
+  local f = assert(io.open(merge_strings_file, "r"))
+  local lines = f:read("*all")
+  f:close()
+
+  for line in lines:gmatch("[^\r\n]+") do
+    line = line:gsub("\\\"", "\"")
+    local k, v = line:gmatch("%s*([^%s]+)%s*=%s*\"(.+)\"$")()
+
+    -- merge
+    if (k ~= nil) and (v ~= nil) then
+      print(k .. " = " .. v)
+      local t = lang
+      local prev_t = t
+      local prev_k = nil
+
+      for part in k:gmatch("[^%.]+") do
+        part = part:gmatch("%[\"([^\"]+)\"%]")() or part
+
+        if not ((t == lang) and (part == "lang")) then
+          if t[part] == nil then
+            t[part] = {}
+          end
+
+          prev_t = t
+          t = t[part]
+          prev_k = part
+        end
+      end
+
+      if prev_k ~= nil then
+        prev_t[prev_k] = v
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  
+end
+
+persistence.store(lang_file, lang)
diff --git a/tools/localization/sort_localization_file.luar b/tools/localization/sort_localization_file.luar
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4e1d2880be4f
Binary files /dev/null and b/tools/localization/sort_localization_file.luar differ