Plus Sign +

The Plus Sign character (+) is a standard HTML entity defined in the HTML specification. In HTML source code, it can be written using the named entity reference +, the decimal numeric character reference +, or the hexadecimal numeric reference +. The character is assigned Unicode code point U+002B in the Universal Character Set.

The plus sign is the standard mathematical operator for addition and positive value indication. While commonly typed directly, the HTML entity + is available in HTML5 for explicit encoding. The plus sign also has significance in URL encoding where it represents a space in query strings.

Mathematical HTML entities enable web authors to display proper mathematical notation without relying on images or specialized rendering libraries like MathJax or KaTeX. While complex equations and multi-line formulas may still benefit from dedicated math typesetting tools, individual symbols expressed as HTML entities render quickly, remain accessible to screen readers, and can be styled with CSS just like regular text content.

When deciding how to encode the Plus Sign character in your HTML documents, the named entity + is generally the most readable choice for developers reviewing or maintaining source code. The decimal form + and hexadecimal form + are equally valid alternatives that work in contexts where named entities may not be supported, or when generating HTML output programmatically from server-side code. All three representations produce identical visual output in every modern web browser.

Use the plus entity in mathematical expressions, technical documentation, and when you need to ensure the plus sign is not misinterpreted in URL contexts. In most HTML content, the plus sign can be typed directly, but the entity form is useful in programmatically generated content.