spacebar

Spacebar is a key on computer keyboards and typewriter keyboards that inserts a blank space between characters or words during text input. It is typically the longest key on the bottom row and is commonly pressed with the thumb, enabling rapid, repeated activation during typing. The spacebar provides the primary whitespace character used to separate words in written text and programming code.

It outputs the ASCII space character (decimal 32) and Unicode U+0020. In most text-processing systems, a space is treated as whitespace that separates tokens. In many programming languages and HTML rendering, consecutive spaces are collapsed in display, and only a single space may be used to separate words unless special rules apply. Some applications also offer shortcuts to insert non-breaking spaces (U+00A0) or other spacing characters.

Design and layout vary by keyboard. The spacebar is the widest key on most keyboards and typically uses a stabilizing mechanism to stay level. Its exact width differs across layouts, with common ANSI and ISO variants. Historically, the spacebar traced its origins to typewriters, where a single bar advanced the carriage to create space after each character. In modern software and games, the spacebar is frequently mapped to actions such as jumping or activating controls.