---
createdAt: 2025-02-07
updatedAt: 2025-06-29
title: Dictionary's nesting
description: Learn how to use content nesting in Intlayer to reuse and structure your multilingual content efficiently. Follow this documentation to implement nesting seamlessly in your project.
keywords:
  - Nesting
  - Content Reusability
  - Documentation
  - Intlayer
  - Next.js
  - JavaScript
  - React
slugs:
  - doc
  - concept
  - content
  - nesting
history:
  - version: 5.5.10
    date: 2025-06-29
    changes: Init history
---

# Nesting / Sub Content Referencing

## How Nesting Works

In Intlayer, nesting is achieved through the `nest` function, which allows you to reference and reuse content from another dictionary. Instead of duplicating content, you can point to an existing content module by its key.

## Setting Up Nesting

To set up nesting in your Intlayer project, you first define the base content that you wish to reuse. Then, in a separate content module, you use the `nest` function to import that content.

### Base Dictionary

Below is an example of a base dictionary to nest in another dictionary:

```typescript fileName="firstDictionary.content.ts" contentDeclarationFormat="typescript"
import { type Dictionary } from "intlayer";

const firstDictionary = {
  key: "key_of_my_first_dictionary",
  content: {
    content: "content",
    subContent: {
      contentNumber: 0,
      contentString: "string",
    },
  },
} satisfies Dictionary;

export default firstDictionary;
```

```javascript fileName="firstDictionary.content.mjs" contentDeclarationFormat="esm"
/** @type {import('intlayer').Dictionary} */
const firstDictionary = {
  key: "key_of_my_first_dictionary",
  content: {
    content: "content",
    subContent: {
      contentNumber: 0,
      contentString: "string",
    },
  },
};

export default firstDictionary;
```

```javascript fileName="firstDictionary.content.cjs" contentDeclarationFormat="commonjs"
/** @type {import('intlayer').Dictionary} */
const firstDictionary = {
  key: "key_of_my_first_dictionary",
  content: {
    content: "content",
    subContent: {
      contentNumber: 0,
      contentString: "string",
    },
  },
};

module.exports = firstDictionary;
```

```json fileName="firstDictionary.content.json" contentDeclarationFormat="json"
{
  "$schema": "https://intlayer.org/schema.json",
  "key": "key_of_my_first_dictionary",
  "content": {
    "content": "content",
    "subContent": {
      "contentNumber": 0,
      "contentString": "string"
    }
  }
}
```

### Referencing with Nest

Now, create another content module that uses the `nest` function to reference the above content. You can reference the entire content or a specific nested value:

```typescript fileName="secondDictionary.content.ts" contentDeclarationFormat="typescript"
import { nest, type Dictionary } from "intlayer";

const myNestingContent = {
  key: "key_of_my_second_dictionary",
  content: {
    // References the entire dictionary:
    fullNestedContent: nest("key_of_my_first_dictionary"),
    // References a specific nested value:
    partialNestedContent: nest(
      "key_of_my_first_dictionary",
      "subContent.contentNumber"
    ),
  },
} satisfies Dictionary;

export default myNestingContent;
```

```javascript fileName="secondDictionary.content.mjs" contentDeclarationFormat="esm"
import { nest } from "intlayer";

/** @type {import('intlayer').Dictionary} */
const myNestingContent = {
  key: "key_of_my_second_dictionary",
  content: {
    fullNestedContent: nest("key_of_my_first_dictionary"),
    partialNestedContent: nest(
      "key_of_my_first_dictionary",
      "subContent.contentNumber"
    ),
  },
};

export default myNestingContent;
```

```javascript fileName="secondDictionary.content.cjs" contentDeclarationFormat="commonjs"
const { nest } = require("intlayer");

/** @type {import('intlayer').Dictionary} */
const myNestingContent = {
  key: "key_of_my_second_dictionary",
  content: {
    fullNestedContent: nest("key_of_my_first_dictionary"),
    partialNestedContent: nest(
      "key_of_my_first_dictionary",
      "subContent.contentNumber"
    ),
  },
};

module.exports = myNestingContent;
```

```json fileName="secondDictionary.content.json" contentDeclarationFormat="json"
{
  "$schema": "https://intlayer.org/schema.json",
  "key": "key_of_my_second_dictionary",
  "content": {
    "fullNestedContent": {
      "nodeType": "nested",
      "nested": {
        "dictionaryKey": "key_of_my_first_dictionary"
      }
    },
    "partialNestedContent": {
      "nodeType": "nested",
      "nested": {
        "dictionaryKey": "key_of_my_first_dictionary",
        "path": "subContent.contentNumber"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

As second parameter, you can specify a path to a nested value within that content. When no path is provided, the entire content of the referenced dictionary is returned.

## Using Nesting with React Intlayer

To use nested content in a React component, leverage the `useIntlayer` hook from the `react-intlayer` package. This hook retrieves the correct content based on the specified key. Here's an example of how to use it:

```tsx fileName="**/*.tsx" codeFormat="typescript"
import type { FC } from "react";
import { useIntlayer } from "react-intlayer";

const NestComponent: FC = () => {
  const { fullNestedContent, partialNestedContent } = useIntlayer(
    "key_of_my_second_dictionary"
  );

  return (
    <div>
      <p>
        Full Nested Content: {JSON.stringify(fullNestedContent)}
        {/* Output: {"content": "content", "subContent": {"contentNumber": 0, "contentString": "string"}} */}
      </p>
      <p>
        Partial Nested Value: {partialNestedContent}
        {/* Output: 0 */}
      </p>
    </div>
  );
};

export default NestComponent;
```

```javascript fileName="**/*.mjx" codeFormat="esm"
import { useIntlayer } from "react-intlayer";

const NestComponent = () => {
  const { fullNestedContent, partialNestedContent } = useIntlayer(
    "key_of_my_second_dictionary"
  );

  return (
    <div>
      <p>
        Full Nested Content: {JSON.stringify(fullNestedContent)}
        {/* Output: {"content": "content", "subContent": {"contentNumber": 0, "contentString": "string"}} */}
      </p>
      <p>
        Partial Nested Value: {partialNestedContent}
        {/* Output: 0 */}
      </p>
    </div>
  );
};

export default NestComponent;
```

```javascript fileName="**/*.cjx" codeFormat="commonjs"
const { useIntlayer } = require("react-intlayer");

const NestComponent = () => {
  const { fullNestedContent, partialNestedContent } = useIntlayer(
    "key_of_my_second_dictionary"
  );

  return (
    <div>
      <p>
        Full Nested Content: {JSON.stringify(fullNestedContent)}
        {/* Output: {"content": "content", "subContent": {"contentNumber": 0, "contentString": "string"}} */}
      </p>
      <p>
        Partial Nested Value: {partialNestedContent}
        {/* Output: 0 */}
      </p>
    </div>
  );
};

module.exports = NestComponent;
```

## Additional Resources

For more detailed information on configuration and usage, refer to the following resources:

- [Intlayer CLI Documentation](https://github.com/aymericzip/intlayer/blob/main/docs/docs/en/cli/index.md)
- [React Intlayer Documentation](https://github.com/aymericzip/intlayer/blob/main/docs/docs/en/intlayer_with_create_react_app.md)
- [Next Intlayer Documentation](https://github.com/aymericzip/intlayer/blob/main/docs/docs/en/intlayer_with_nextjs_15.md)

These resources provide further insights into the setup and usage of Intlayer in different environments and with various frameworks.
