In the vast world of web design, HTML (HyperText Markup Language) serves as the backbone for creating web pages. Understanding the symbol usage in HTML is crucial for anyone diving into web development. In this chapter, we'll explore key symbols and their roles in shaping the content and structure of your web pages.
This chapter will provide a comprehensive guide to symbol usage in HTML, from basic to advanced topics. We will explore how symbols are represented using HTML entities, common symbols used in web development, and how to integrate them into your webpages.
There are several reasons to use symbols in HTML:
<
and >
have specific meanings in HTML syntax and need to be “escaped” using symbols to be displayed as text.HTML entities are used to represent symbols in HTML. There are two ways to define an entity:
Named entities use predefined names to represent a symbol. These are easier to read and remember than numeric entities.
For example:
<
represents <
(less than)>
represents >
(greater than)&
represents &
(ampersand)Numeric entities are based on the Unicode or ASCII value of the character and can be expressed either in decimal or hexadecimal form.
For example:
<
represents <
<
represents <
Both forms produce the same result when displayed by the browser.
HTML Symbol Usage
Named entity for less than: <
Numeric entity for less than: <
Named entity for less than: <
Numeric entity for less than: <
Here is a list of some commonly used HTML symbols:
Symbol | Description | Entity Name | Entity Number |
---|---|---|---|
< | Less than | < | < |
> | Greater than | > | > |
& | Ampersand | & | & |
" | Quotation mark | " | " |
' | Apostrophe | ' | ' |
© | Copyright | © | © |
® | Registered | ® | ® |
HTML provides a wide range of symbols to represent mathematical notations. These are useful in scientific and educational content, allowing mathematical equations and formulas to be displayed accurately.
Here are some of the most commonly used mathematical symbols in HTML:
Symbol | Description | Entity Name | Entity Number |
---|---|---|---|
± | Plus/minus | ± | ± |
× | Multiplication | × | × |
÷ | Division | ÷ | ÷ |
√ | Square root | √ | √ |
∑ | Summation | ∑ | ∑ |
Mathematical Symbols
Plus/minus: ±
Multiplication: ×
Division: ÷
Square root: √
Plus/minus: ±
Multiplication: ×
Division: ÷
Square root: √
Currency symbols are widely used in HTML, particularly in ecommerce websites and financial content. Here’s a list of some common currency symbols:
Currency | Symbol | Entity Name | Entity Number |
---|---|---|---|
Dollar | $ | $ | $ |
Euro | € | € | € |
Pound | £ | £ | £ |
Yen | ¥ | ¥ | ¥ |
Currency Symbols
Dollar: $
Euro: €
Pound: £
Yen: ¥
Dollar: $
Euro: €
Pound: £
Yen: ¥
HTML entities can also be used for punctuation marks, typographic symbols, and other special characters commonly used in writing.
Symbol | Description | Entity Name | Entity Number |
---|---|---|---|
“ ” | Double quotation marks | “ ” | “ ” |
‘ ’ | Single quotation marks | ‘ ’ | ‘ ’ |
— | Em dash | — | — |
– | En dash | – | – |
© | Copyright | © | © |
® | Registered trademark | ® | ® |
Typographic Symbols
Left double quote: “
Right double quote: ”
Em dash: —
Copyright symbol: ©
Left double quote: “
Right double quote: ”
Em dash: —
Copyright symbol: ©
HTML also supports a wide range of special characters, including accented letters and non-Latin characters. These are especially useful when dealing with multilingual websites or writing content in different languages.
Here are some examples of accented letters:
Character | Entity Name | Entity Number |
---|---|---|
é | é | é |
à | à | à |
ü | ü | ü |
ñ | ñ | ñ |
Some characters have special meanings in HTML, such as:
<
for starting a tag>
for closing a tag&
for starting an entityTo display these characters in text, you need to use their corresponding HTML entities.
Character | Entity Name | Entity Number |
---|---|---|
< | < | < |
> | > | > |
& | & | & |
Reserved Characters
This is a less than symbol: <
This is an ampersand: &
This is a less than symbol: <
This is an ampersand: &
Using symbols in HTML is essential for creating precise and accurate web content. From basic punctuation marks to advanced mathematical notations, HTML entities allow you to display characters that are otherwise difficult to input or are reserved in HTML syntax. Understanding the difference between named and numeric entities and knowing when to use them ensures that your content renders properly across all browsers and platforms. Happy coding !❤️