HTML entities

HTML entities! Whether you are a beginner who hopes to learn more about webdesign or an advanced website developer who want to improve their expertise, this article you will read more about the HTML entities used in HTML code. You will find examples of commonly used HTML entities which you can apply in your own HTML code for your website. Also, you will read more about how an HTML editor can assist you in creating your ideal website.

What are HTML entities?

Within a HTML file different HTML tags, attributes and entities are used to give the user commands of what to do with the content. An HTML entity is a piece of text or string that displays reserved and invisible character that would otherwise be seen as HTML code. The HTML entity starts with an ampersand or & and closes with a semicolon or ;.

Why use entities?

Sometimes it is essential to use special symbols on a website. Examples are a registered trademark symbol ® or a copyright symbol ©. These symbols are usually not available on your keyboard. So if you will write this HTML tag within your HTML code, the browser with present the outcome of that tag, but not the tag itself. To prevent that a computer interprets the HTML tag only as code and won´t present it in the text, HTML gives you the ability to write it as <. In that way these symbols will be visible on the webpage.

Examples of useful HTML entities

When writing HTML code, these HTML entities can be useful:

  •   – non-breaking space
  • & – ampersand (&)
  • < – less than sign
  • > – greater than sign
  • ‘ – single quotation mark
  • ” – double quotation mark
  • € – euro sign
  • ¢ – cent sign
  • ¥ – yen sign
  • £ – pound sign
  • © – copyright
  • ® – registered trademark

HTML editor for HTML entities

For a beginner it can be difficult to write a HTML code with the right HTML entities. An HTML editor offers a great solution. With the HTML editor you can easily find and write the right HTML entities within your source code. It is also a perfect way to analyze if you have any errors in the HTML code of your webpage. Simply copy and paste your HTML code in the editor program and it will automatically find if there are any mistakes. Learn more about the HTML editor here.