A no-break space (also known as non-breaking space, required space, hard space, or fixed space) is a special character in Unicode that prevents an automatic line break at its position. It also prevents consecutive whitespace characters from collapsing into a single space. It is commonly abbreviated as NBSP.
Why use a no-break space?
A no-break space is useful for preserving the formatting and readability of certain texts, such as dates, names, units, or mathematical expressions. For example, if you want to write “3.14 kg” without risking a line break between the number and the unit, you can use a no-break space instead of a regular space: “3.14\u00A0kg”. This way, the number and the unit will always stay together on the same line.
Another example is when you want to write a mathematical expression, such as
, without risking a line break within the expression. You can use a no-break space to separate the terms and the operators: “
”. This way, the expression will always appear as a whole on the same line.
How to type a no-break space?
There are different ways to type a no-break space, depending on the system and the application you are using. Here are some common methods:
- In HTML, you can use the entity
to insert a no-break space. For example,<p>3.14 kg</p>will produce “3.14 kg” with a no-break space. - In Windows, you can hold the Alt key and type 255 using the numeric keypad (not the number keys above the letter keys on your keyboard). Release the Alt key, and a no-break space will appear. For example, “3.14 Alt+255 kg” will produce “3.14 kg” with a no-break space.
- In Linux, you can hold the Ctrl and Shift keys and type U A 0. Release the Ctrl and Shift keys, and a no-break space will appear. For example, “3.14 Ctrl+Shift+UA0 kg” will produce “3.14 kg” with a no-break space.
- In Mac OS, you can hold the Option key and type the space bar. Release the Option key, and a no-break space will appear. For example, “3.14 Option+Space kg” will produce “3.14 kg” with a no-break space.
How to copy and paste a no-break space?
If you want to copy and paste a no-break space from another source, such as a web page or a document, you can use the same methods as you would for any other character. However, you may not be able to see the difference between a no-break space and a regular space, unless you use a tool that can display the Unicode code points of the characters.
For example, you can use the Unicode Explorer to see the code point of any character you select. A no-break space has the code point U+00A0, while a regular space has the code point U+0020.
Alternatively, you can use the Blank Text website to copy and paste a no-break space directly. Just click on the “Copy” button next to the no-break space character, and then paste it wherever you want.
Conclusion
A no-break space is a useful character for preserving the formatting and readability of certain texts, such as dates, names, units, or mathematical expressions. It prevents an automatic line break at its position, and also prevents consecutive whitespace characters from collapsing into a single space.
It is commonly abbreviated as NBSP, and it has the Unicode code point U+00A0. You can type, copy, and paste a no-break space using different methods, depending on the system and the application you are using.