fixedwidth

Fixedwidth, or fixed-width typing, refers to a typographic and layout convention in which every character occupies the same horizontal space. Also known as monospace or monospaced type, fixedwidth contrasts with proportional fonts where glyph widths vary. This property simplifies alignment of text in columns, tables, and code blocks.

The concept originates from early typewriters and computer terminals, where a uniform character width made text easier to compose, edit, and display. Monospaced fonts became standard in programming environments, command-line interfaces, and data representation, and remain common in software development and system administration.

Characteristics include identical advance width for all characters, fixed spacing along a line, and often a tab width that advances by a fixed number of spaces, commonly eight, though configurable. The fixed nature supports predictable alignment and straightforward diffs when reviewing changes.

Pros of fixedwidth fonts include predictable alignment, easy columnar layouts, and consistent rendering across platforms, which is especially valuable in coding, data dumps, and documentation. Cons include potentially lower readability for extended prose due to rigid shapes, and wider lines that can increase horizontal scrolling compared with proportional fonts.

Common examples of fixedwidth fonts are Courier, Courier New, Consolas, Monaco, Menlo, Source Code Pro, and Inconsolata. In practice, fixedwidth usage is prevalent in programming editors, terminal emulators, and any context requiring stable alignment of text and data.

See also:

- Monospace font

- Code editor

- Terminal emulator

- Tab width