Unicode and HTML Character Reference
Unicode gives every supported character a stable code point, while HTML provides several ways to place those characters in a web page. This reference brings the two systems together so you can identify a symbol, choose the safest representation, and understand what browsers actually receive.
Four Ways to Represent the Same Character
| Format | Degree sign example | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Literal UTF-8 character | ° | Readable modern HTML, text, and data files |
| Named HTML entity | ° | Recognizable entities with memorable names |
| Decimal reference | ° | Any Unicode character by decimal value |
| Hexadecimal reference | ° | Any Unicode character using its familiar hex code point |
Start with the Right Reference
Learn how U+ notation, planes, blocks, and scalar values work.
HTML Character ReferencesCompare named entities with decimal and hexadecimal references.
Unicode BlocksUnderstand how related code points are grouped and browsed.
UTF-8 EncodingSee how code points become one to four bytes.
CSS Unicode EscapesUse characters safely in generated content and selectors.
JavaScript Unicode EscapesChoose between \uXXXX, code-point escapes, and literal text.
Characters HTML Treats Specially
The ampersand begins a character reference, and the less-than sign can begin a tag. Those characters should be escaped when they are intended as ordinary text inside HTML source. Quotation marks also require care inside matching quoted attribute values.
Use the Interactive Code Tools
Look up named and numeric references for known symbols.
HTML Entity EncoderConvert a complete passage into named, decimal, or hexadecimal references.
Unicode Character FinderPaste a character and reveal its code point.
Unicode Escape ConverterCreate JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and U+ forms together.
Unicode DecoderTurn references and escapes back into readable characters.
UTF-8 Byte InspectorInspect the actual byte sequence used for each character.