Adding the Degree Symbol in HTML: Three Easy Methods
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Chapter 1: Introduction to the Degree Symbol
Are you trying to display the temperature on your website and end up with an unexpected character instead of the degree symbol? It's a common annoyance that many web developers face. Fear not! In this concise guide, I will share three reliable techniques for incorporating the degree symbol (°) into your HTML code.
Section 1.1: Method 1 - Using HTML Entities for Consistency
HTML entities are unique codes that represent characters that are not easily typed in HTML. They ensure your site appears correctly across different browsers. To display the degree symbol, you can use either ° or °.
For instance, in a weather application, you might write:
Today's temperature is 30°C.
Or, in a geometry context:
This angle is 45°.
Section 1.2: Method 2 - Utilizing Unicode for Universal Access
Unicode is a comprehensive character set that gives every character, including the degree symbol, a distinct code. The Unicode for the degree symbol is U+00B0.
Here’s how to implement it:
The latitude is 40° North.
If you're employing JavaScript to dynamically insert the degree symbol, you can do so with:
document.getElementById('degree-symbol').textContent = 'u00B0';
This approach is particularly useful when generating HTML content on-the-fly with JavaScript.
Section 1.3: Method 3 - Direct Input for Simplicity
This method is the simplest of all! If your text editor supports it, you can directly type or paste the degree symbol (°) into your HTML code. For example:
The boiling point of water is 100°C.
However, be cautious; not all text editors support the direct input of special characters, so it's wise to verify before finalizing.
Chapter 2: Conclusion
In most cases, utilizing HTML entities (like ° or °) is the most effective way to guarantee compatibility across various browsers and devices. Which method will you opt for in your next project? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The first video titled "How to Insert the Degree Symbol on Windows 11/10 [Guide] - YouTube" provides a step-by-step guide to help you easily incorporate the degree symbol in your work.
The second video, "FreeCodeCamp HTML - YouTube," is an excellent resource for learning HTML fundamentals, including how to effectively use special characters in your web projects.