indents

An indent is a typographic feature that adds space at the beginning of a line. Indentation is used to signal the start of a new paragraph, to separate blocks of text, or to indicate nested structure within a document. It helps readers visually parse longer passages and can also reflect hierarchy in lists and quotations.

In prose, the first-line indent is the most common form, typically producing a short horizontal offset from the left margin. Other forms include block quotes, which may be set off by a wider left margin, and hanging indents, where all lines except the first are indented, often used for bibliographies and reference lists.

In programming, indentation serves different roles. In languages such as Python, whitespace defines code blocks and syntax, making consistent indentation essential. In languages that use braces to group blocks, indentation mainly improves readability. Style guides commonly specify a standard indentation width, often four spaces, and discourage mixing tabs and spaces.

In typography and web design, indentation is achieved through measures of space, tabs, or layout properties. In print, first-line indentation is commonly about 0.5 inches (roughly 1.27 cm) or 1 em. On the web, CSS text-indent, padding-left, or margin-left can create indents, while HTML collapses ordinary whitespace unless formatting elements such as pre or code are used.

Overuse or inconsistent indentation can hinder readability, so guidelines emphasize consistency and appropriate use.