The CSS reference

"letter-spacing" - css property (v. css 1)

  • Increase or decrease the space between characters in a text
  • Initial value: normal
  • The property is inherited
  • HTML usage: all elements
  • Browsers that support the letter-spacing - property :
    Internet Explorer Mozilla Firefox Opera Google Chrome Apple Safari

Possible letter-spacing values:

value Comments CSS
normal The spacing is the normal spacing for the current font. This value allows the user agent to alter the space between characters in order to justify text. 1
length This value indicates inter-character space in addition to the default space between characters. With this you specify a positive(+) or negative(-) value followed with a unit identifier. 1
inherit Will inherit the value from parent specification. This property value is new with CSS 2. 2

Possible unit identifier:

unit identifier Comments CSS
em The relative unit 'em' is relative to the font size of the element itself. 1
ex The relative unit 'ex' is relative to the font size of the element itself. 1
px Pixels, relative to the viewing device 1
in inches -> 1 inch is equal to 2.54 centimeters. 1
cm centimeters. 1
mm millimeters. 1
pt points -> the points used by CSS2 are equal to 1/72th of an inch. 1
pc picas -> 1 pica is equal to 12 points. 1

Property "letter-spacing" example:

<!DOCTYPE HTML >
<html  >
  <head>
    <title>Test</title>
    <style type="text/css">
      div {border: blue 1px solid; color:blue;
           padding: 0.2em 0.2em 0.2em 0.4em; width: 400px;}
      .letter1 {letter-spacing: 0.2em;}
      .letter2 {letter-spacing: -1px;}
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    letter-spacing increased with 0.2em;<br>
    <div class='letter1' >Increase or decrease the space
      between characters in a text.
    </div>
    <br>
    letter-spacing decreased with 1px;
    <div class='letter2'  >Increase or decrease the space
      between characters in a text.
    </div>
   </body>
</html>

Javascript access:

// To SET values ([o] is the target object)
[o].style.letterSpacing="letter-spacing value"
// To GET values you must first get the computed style object
// To get that object in IE or Opera:
var cStyle=[o].currentStyle;
// To get that object in Firefox, Chrome or Safari (w3c-type):
var cStyle=window.getComputedStyle([o],null)
// To GET the property value:;
var value=cStyle.letterSpacing;
/* Don not expect that alle browsers returns the right initial value when a text-align values is NOT set.*/
/* The returned value is not cross-browser reliable. The value can vary in accuracy and notation, which depends on the browser, whether the value is preset or not and which option that was used to set the value.*/
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