HTML Character Entities Reference

Welcome to our guide on HTML character entities, an essential concept in web development for anyone interested in creating websites. Understanding character entities will allow you to represent special characters in HTML documents that cannot be typed directly or may conflict with the syntax of HTML itself. In this article, we will explore the definition, usage, a comprehensive list of HTML character entities, and how you can use them in your web projects.

I. Introduction

A. Definition of HTML character entities

HTML character entities are special codes that represent characters not easily typed on a keyboard or reserved characters in HTML markup. These entities help display characters accurately across different web browsers and devices.

B. Importance of HTML character entities in web development

They ensure that special characters display correctly in browsers.
They help avoid conflicts with HTML syntax.
They enhance the accessibility of web content.

II. HTML Character Entities

A. Overview of character entities

&) and end with a semicolon (;). The format is as follows:

&#entity_name;

< to avoid being interpreted as an HTML tag.

B. How to use character entities in HTML

Here’s an example:

<p>Hello & welcome to the world of <strong>HTML</strong> character entities!</p>

III. HTML Character Entities List

A. Common HTML character entities

Character	Entity Name	Entity Code
&	&	&
<	<	<
>	>	>
“	"	"
‘	'	'

1. Special characters

Some common special characters and their respective character entities include:

Character	Entity Name
	(Non-breaking space)
©	©
®	®

2. Mathematical symbols

Mathematical symbols can be represented as follows:

Symbol	Entity Name
+	+
−	−
×	×
÷	÷

3. Greek letters

Greek letters are often used in mathematics and science:

Greek Letter	Entity Name
α	α
β	β
γ	γ
Δ	Δ

B. Example usage of character entities in HTML code

Let’s see how these entities are applied in actual HTML code. Here’s an example:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Character Entities Example</title>
</head>
<body>

    <p>Using character entities: <br>
    <strong>Less than:</strong> < <em>&lt;</em><br>
    <strong>Greater than:</strong> > <em>&gt;</em><br>
    <strong>Ampersand:</strong> & <em>&amp;</em><br>
    <strong>Copyright:</strong> © <em>&copy;</em></p>

</body>
</html>

IV. Conclusion

A. Recap of the importance of character entities

In summary, HTML character entities play a vital role in web development by allowing the correct representation of special characters that could otherwise disrupt HTML syntax. Mastering character entities empowers you to create more reliable web content with diverse symbols and characters.

B. Encouragement to experiment with character entities in web projects

We encourage you to incorporate character entities into your future web projects. Experiment with different entities to see how they affect the display of your text and enhance your understanding of HTML.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a character entity in HTML?

A character entity is a code used in HTML to display special characters that are either reserved in HTML syntax or not easily typed on a keyboard, such as &, <, and >.

Why should I use character entities?

Using character entities ensures that special characters are displayed correctly in web browsers and prevents conflicts with HTML syntax.

Where can I find a list of HTML character entities?

This article provides a basic list of common HTML character entities; for further exploration, you can refer to various online resources dedicated to HTML and web development.

Can I create my own character entities?

No, character entities are predefined in HTML, but you can use Unicode to represent additional characters in your documents.

How do I include special characters in my HTML code?

You can include special characters by using their respective character entities in your HTML code. For example, to include an ampersand, you would use &.

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