The apostrophe (‘) is a common punctuation mark used to indicate possession, contractions, or quotations in written text. However, in HTML, the apostrophe has a special meaning as it is used to delimit attribute values and string literals. Using an unescaped apostrophe within HTML code can break the syntax and cause errors.
There are a few different methods to properly display an apostrophe on a web page:
- Using a Character Entity Reference
- Encoding the apostrophe as a Unicode Character Escape
- Encoding the apostrophe as a Hexadecimal Character Reference
Character Entity References
HTML provides character entity references which allow you to insert special characters into your code. To add an apostrophe, you can use the ' entity reference.
For example:
<p>Joe's cat is very friendly.</p>This will display properly on the webpage as:
Joe‘s cat is very friendly.
The advantage of using a character entity reference is that it‘s easy to read and remember. The downside is that not all browsers fully support this entity, especially older browsers.
Unicode Character Escape
Another method is to encode the apostrophe as its Unicode character escape sequence. The Unicode code point for apostrophe is U+0027.
To create a Unicode character escape, use the format &#xHHHH; where HHHH is the hexadecimal code point. For the apostrophe, the escape sequence would be '.
For example:
<p>Sally baked her famous chocolate chip cookies' yesterday.</p> This displays on the webpage as:
Sally baked her famous chocolate chip cookies‘ yesterday.
The benefit of this method is wider browser compatibility. The downside is that it can be harder to read and interpret within the HTML code.
Hexadecimal Character Reference
The last approach is to use a hexadecimal character reference to encode the apostrophe symbol. This is very similar to the Unicode character escape method, except the code point is written in decimal instead of hexadecimal.
The decimal equivalent of the apostrophe‘s Unicode code point is 39. So the hexadecimal reference would be '.
For example:
<p>My friend's 10-year-old daughter speaks 3 languages already.</p>This displays on the web page as:
My friend‘s 10-year-old daughter speaks 3 languages already.
Just like the Unicode escape sequence, the hexadecimal reference has broad browser support. But it can also be harder to decipher in the code compared to a character entity.
When to Use Each Method
The best method depends on your specific needs and environment:
- Use
'if you want simplified, readable code and mainly target modern browsers. - Use
'or'for better legacy browser compatibility at the cost of code readability. - Stick to
'over'if your HTML editor does not handle hexadecimal input well.
In most cases, ' provides the best balance of compatibility and ease of use. But evaluate your own scenario to determine what meets your requirements.
Tips for Using Apostrophes in HTML
Here are some additional tips when working with apostrophes in your HTML code:
- For long passages of text with apostrophes, use a character entity reference. Encoding every single apostrophe can negatively impact readability and maintenance.
- When dynamically generating attribute values or strings with apostrophes, encode the output with entities or escapes before inserting it into HTML.
- Use apostrophe encoding consistently throughout all your files and templates for consistency.
- Validate your HTML to catch any encoding mistakes that could break your syntax. All three encoding methods should pass validation.
- If you use a web framework, utilize its escaping/encoding helpers instead of manually adding escapes.
Alternative Approaches
If needed, there are a couple alternative approaches for displaying apostrophe characters without encoding:
Curly Apostrophes
Some designers prefer to use a curly apostrophe or right single quotation mark (’) instead of the standard straight apostrophe. This still indicates possession or contractions but has a slightly different visual appearance.
To add a curly apostrophe with HTML, use the ’ entity reference:
<p>My brother’s family recently moved here from France.</p>Apostrophe-Free Text
For cases where apostrophes appear frequently in prose, consider rewriting passages to remove the apostrophes altogether. This enhances coder experience and may improve accessibility.
For example:
Original: Ashley’s application for the job was very persuasive.
Rewrite: Ashley‘s application for the job was very persuasive.However, rewriting long form content solely to avoid apostrophes may not be feasible or worthwhile in many scenarios.
Conclusion
Being able to properly add apostrophes in HTML requires using character encoding methods like entity references, Unicode escapes, and hexadecimal references. There is no "right" approach – choose the technique that makes the most sense for your code style, environment, and browser support needs. With the proper encoding, you can effectively publish text with apostrophes on the web.