U+FEFF: Byte Order Mark or Zero Width No-Break Space?
U+FEFF is named ZERO WIDTH NO-BREAK SPACE but is also used as a byte order mark in defined contexts. Learn how its legacy and modern roles differ.
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Practical guides for identifying symbols, understanding Unicode, comparing look-alike characters, and working with special characters across devices.
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Unicode, symbols & special charactersWord Joiner vs Zero Width Space: What’s the Difference?
U+200B ZERO WIDTH SPACE and U+2060 WORD JOINER are both invisible and zero-width, but their line-breaking roles point in opposite directions.
Read guide →Zero Width Space U+200B: What It Is, Why It’s Invisible, and How to Find It
U+200B ZERO WIDTH SPACE is invisible but still part of the text. Learn what ZWSP does, why it can affect matching and wrapping, and how to find…
Read guide →Non-Breaking Space vs Regular Space: What’s the Difference?
A regular space and a non-breaking space can look the same but behave differently. Learn the Unicode difference between U+0020 SPACE and U+00A0 NO-BREAK SPACE.
Read guide →Why Does Copied Text Contain Invisible Characters?
Copied text can contain hidden Unicode characters that affect matching, wrapping, shaping, and rendering. Learn where they come from and how to inspect them safely.
Read guide →Zero Width Space vs ZWJ vs ZWNJ: What’s the Difference?
Zero width space, zero width joiner, and zero width non-joiner are invisible Unicode characters with very different jobs. Learn how ZWSP, ZWJ, and ZWNJ differ and when…
Read guide →Caret ^ vs Circumflex ˆ vs Combining Circumflex ◌̂: What’s the Difference?
The keyboard character ^, modifier circumflex ˆ, and combining circumflex ◌̂ all share a familiar roof-like shape, but they are different Unicode characters and behave differently in…
Read guide →Asterisk * vs Multiplication Sign × vs Star Operator ⋆: What’s the Difference?
The asterisk *, multiplication sign ×, and star operator ⋆ can all appear in mathematical or technical contexts, but they are different Unicode characters. * is U+002A…
Read guide →Hash # vs Musical Sharp ♯: What’s the Difference?
The number sign # and the musical sharp sign ♯ can look surprisingly similar, especially at small sizes or in fonts with narrow strokes. They are different…
Read guide →Parentheses ( ) vs Brackets [ ] vs Braces { }: What’s the Difference?
Parentheses ( ), square brackets [ ], and braces { } are three different pairs of grouping symbols. They can all enclose text or expressions, but their…
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