A non-breaking space—which web developers like me abbreviate as NBSP—is a neat little formatting tool that inserts an invisible "fixed width" space between words, numbers and other elements on a webpage.
Here‘s why we use them: NBSPs ensure that those items stay together on the same line, even if the reader‘s browser window gets very narrow. This prevents awkward breaks mid-sentence or between connected items like a date. Pretty handy!
Now I‘ll explain more on what non-breaking spaces are, where they came from and some easy ways you can start using them yourself…
A Quick Historical Overview
NBSPs have actually been part of HTML code since Tim Berners-Lee first invented the World Wide Web in the early 1990s.
In the original 1991 HTML draft, he called them "fixed spaces" and they were meant to prevent awkward line wrapping issues in early browsers.
As the web evolved, they stuck around as an important formatting tool. Table support was added in HTML 3.2 (1997) and later specifications standardized the syntax used today.
So while spaces may seem like a minor formatting detail, they have played an key role in web pages displaying properly for almost 30 years!
Inserting an NBSP is as Easy as
The syntax for non-breaking space has been consistent since those early days:
For example, take a date like December 25, 2022. To keep it from breaking between December and 25 if text wraps, I‘d write:
December 25, 2022The advantage over normal spaces is that these non-collapsible ones behave the same way in all browsers and devices. Pretty nifty!
I‘ll explain more pages of real examples, but first let‘s look closer at why consistent spacing matters for sites…
Why Non-Breaking Spaces Improve Web Layouts
Normal spaces work fine for flowing text like paragraphs. But when precise spacing is needed for things like:
- Headings
- Dates and numbers
- Tables
- Navigation links
…fixed non-breaking spaces prevent potential formatting disasters.
Just imagine a table of data with rows that break randomly on narrow screens. Information that should align gets all mixed up without consistent column spacing.
OR the header "December500 contest winners" mashed together if text wraps between December and 500. Weird!
Non-breaking spaces avoid this messy wrapping. That means:
✅ Better chance visitors can scan and comprehend content
✅ More professional, polished site appearance
✅ Reduced frustrated visitors leaving a site
For maximal control over site visit experience, I use them liberally…
Here are some of my go-to applications:
Use Case 1: Consistent Spacing in Text Elements
When formatting titles, headings, links or other text elements, adding NBSPs between words ensures they stay together neatly:
<a href="/about">About Us</a>Even if text wraps or reflows on smaller screens, your text stays cleanly formatted!
Use Case 2: Prevent Broken Words and Numbers
NBSPs can also connect numbers, dates and other connected values that should not break:
Meet us December 18 at 7:00 PM No chance of "Meet us December 18 at7:00 PM" on small screens.
Use Case 3: Structured HTML Tables
To make perfectly formatted tables with aligned columns, use NBSPs to define empty cells:
<td> </td> Empty cells retain their width without collapsing to nothing.
…And Many Other Applications
From image captions to menus and more, the consistent spacing of NBSPs prevents all kinds of layout headaches.
Give them a try when crafting your next site or document!
FAQs and Key Takeaways
Still have questions? Here are answers to some common queries:
What‘s the difference between spaces made with my Space bar and ?
Normal spaces may expand, contract or wrap across lines. Non-breaking spaces always retain their width.
So NBSPs are kind of like an invisible brick between words? They stay together?
Exactly! Like an invisible brick securing words and elements together even if text reflows.
Should I start adding NBSPs all over my sites and documents!?
Use them judiciously where consistent spacing matters. Avoid going overboard and littering everything with fixed spaces.
What should I remember about using NBSPs?
- Add them between words/elements that should stay together
- Use them consistently for given elements
- They prevent awkward broken formatting
And with that, you‘ve got a firm grasp how non-breaking spaces work and why they are still an important part of making properly formatted web pages in 2023!
Let me know if any other web development questions come up. Happy to help explain these geeky tools.
