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<br>

Force a line break, the rare cases where it is legitimate

— 1 min read

  • HTML
  • accessibility
  • semantics
  • text

<br> — The line break

The <br> element inserts a line break within a block of text. It is not for visual spacing (that is CSS's job) but for marking a break that is an integral part of the content.

When to use it

Legitimate cases are rare: a postal address, a poem, song lyrics. In these cases, the line break is part of the text's meaning. If you just want space between blocks, use CSS margins or separate <p> elements.

What you gain

Accessibility: screen readers pause at each <br>. Used correctly, this respects the natural rhythm of the content (lines of a poem, lines of an address).

Code example

<address>
  42 Rue des Exemples<br>
  75001 Paris<br>
  France
</address>

Further reading