HTML Entities

What are HTML Entities?

HTML entities are special characters used to display characters that have special meaning in HTML or characters that cannot be typed on a keyboard. They're written as &entity_name; or &#entity_number;. HTML entities are essential for displaying reserved characters correctly.

Why Use HTML Entities?

HTML entities are used for:

• Reserved characters: Characters with special meaning in HTML (like < and >)
• Special characters: Characters that cannot be typed on a keyboard
• Consistent display: Ensure characters display correctly across browsers
• Accessibility: Screen readers can better interpret special characters

Common HTML Entities

Here are the most commonly used HTML entities:

Reserved Characters

Characters with special meaning in HTML must be escaped:

<p>Use &lt;div&gt; for containers.</p>
<p>The price is &lt; $10 &amp; &gt; $5.</p>
<p>Use &quot;quotes&quot; for text.</p>

Common Reserved Character Entities

Special Character Entities

Common special characters and symbols:

Using HTML Entities

<p>Copyright &copy; 2025 My Website</p>
<p>Price: &pound;10 &amp; &euro;12</p>
<p>HTML uses &lt;tags&gt; for markup.</p>
<p>Use &quot;quotes&quot; in attributes.</p>

Entity Name vs. Entity Number

You can use either entity names or entity numbers. Entity names are easier to remember, but entity numbers work in all browsers:

<p>Copyright &copy; 2025</p>

<p>Copyright &#169; 2025</p>

Non-Breaking Space

The non-breaking space entity ( ) prevents line breaks between words:

<p>Mr.&nbsp;John&nbsp;Doe</p>
<p>5&nbsp;miles</p>
<p>January&nbsp;15,&nbsp;2025</p>

Best Practices

• Always escape reserved characters: Use entities for <, >, &, ", '
• Use entity names when possible: Easier to read and remember
• Use entity numbers as fallback: Entity numbers work in all browsers
• Don't overuse &nbsp;: Use CSS for spacing instead
• Test display: Ensure entities display correctly across browsers