HTML5

Where to use , and ?

The element inserts a single line break. A frequent question is whether you should write , , or . The answer: all three are valid in HTML5 and render exactly the same line break. The difference is purely a matter of syntax style.

All Three Are Valid

is a void (empty) element — it has no closing tag and no content. In HTML5 you can write it in three equivalent ways, all of which the browser renders identically:

Three equivalent ways to write a line break

Line one<br>Line two
Line one<br/>Line two
Line one<br />Line two

Which Style Should You Use?

Syntax	Style	When to use
<br>	HTML5 style	Preferred in plain HTML5 documents.
<br/>	XHTML self-closing	Required in XHTML/XML; also common in JSX-like syntaxes.
<br />	XHTML self-closing (with space)	Older XHTML convention; the space is optional.

Use for Line Breaks, Not Spacing

The tag is meant only for line breaks that are part of the content — for example, lines of a poem or a postal address. Do NOT use multiple tags to create vertical space between blocks; use CSS margins or padding instead.

Good use: address lines

<p>
  221B Baker Street<br>
  London<br>
  England
</p>

⚠️

Avoid stacking to push content down the page. That is a presentation concern — use CSS (margin, padding) instead.

Where to use <br>, <br/> and <br /> ?

All Three Are Valid

Which Style Should You Use?

Use <br> for Line Breaks, Not Spacing

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