Right-to-Left Mark ‏

The Right-to-Left Mark 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+200F in the Universal Character Set.

The right-to-left mark is an invisible Unicode control character that forces right-to-left text directionality at its position. It is the counterpart to the left-to-right mark and is used in bidirectional text layouts to ensure correct ordering of characters, particularly at script boundaries and around neutral characters.

Punctuation and whitespace entities are among the most frequently used HTML entities in web development. They handle characters that either have special meaning in HTML syntax — such as angle brackets and ampersands — or represent typographic characters that improve the visual quality of text, like em dashes and curly quotes. Proper use of punctuation entities is essential for producing valid, well-formed HTML documents and achieving professional-looking typography on the web.

When deciding how to encode the Right-to-Left Mark 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 right-to-left mark when embedding RTL text (Arabic, Hebrew) within LTR content, or to ensure correct placement of punctuation and numbers adjacent to RTL text. It is essential for properly internationalized web applications that support both LTR and RTL languages simultaneously.