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Spaces

Spaces are glyphs that contain no visible strokes but still have specific values for width, and occupy a unique unicode cell in the glyph table.

The phrase “type and space” set in blue Singel with solid pink bars filling the two word gaps, making the spaces visible as objects of their own — the blank glyphs that carry width just as letters do.

Spaces are glyphs that contain no visible strokes but still have specific values for width, and occupy a unique unicode cell in the glyph table.

A hair space is the thinnest of all spaces and can be used either side of an en dash or em dash, although that’s down to the style guide we’re referencing. A thin space is slightly wider (around 15%–20% of an em) and again can be employed around dashes according to the preferences of the style guide.

Non-breaking spaces are added between words that need to stay together in any event. If the last word in the sequence doesn’t fit on the end of the line, all words connected with non-breaking spaces will shift to the next line. This is useful when avoiding orphans, but should be used with care.

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About the author
Iveta Stoyanova

Iveta is the Social Media & Community Manager at Fontfabric. With a background in Rhetoric & Speech Communication, she writes about the human side of typography, the inspiration behind new typefaces, choosing the right font for your project, and font licensing.