> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://overleaf-pro.ayaka.space/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://overleaf-pro.ayaka.space/latex/formatting/05-line-breaks-and-blank-spaces.md). # Line breaks and blank spaces Breaking the document flow in LaTeX is not recommended unless you are [creating a macro](/latex/class-files/03-writing-your-own-package.md). Anyway, sometimes is necessary to have more control over the layout of the document; and for this reason in this article is explained how to insert line breaks, page breaks and arbitrary blank spaces. ## Introduction The most standard way how to break lines is to create a new paragraph. This is done by leaving an empty line in the code. ```latex \documentclass{article} \begin{document} This paragraph contains no information and its purpose is to provide an example on how to start a new paragraph. As you can see, single line break in the code acts as a space in text. However, leaving an empty line starts a new paragraph. \end{document} ``` [Open this example in Overleaf](https://www.overleaf.com/docs?engine=pdflatex\&snip_name=New+paragraph\&snip=%5Cdocumentclass%7Barticle%7D%0A%5Cbegin%7Bdocument%7D%0AThis+paragraph+contains+no+information%0Aand+its+purpose+is+to+provide+an+example+on+how+to+start+a+new+paragraph.%0AAs+you+can+see%2C%0Asingle+line%0Abreak+in+the+code%0Aacts+as+a+space+in+text.%0A%0AHowever%2C+leaving+an+empty+line+starts+a+new+paragraph.%0A%5Cend%7Bdocument%7D) ![LineBreaksEx1aupdated.png](/files/gCUPerZQX5oWCGgcJhy9) This is not the only command to insert line breaks, in the [next section](#line-breaks) two more will be presented. ## Line breaks As mentioned before, there's more than one way to insert line breaks. ```latex \documentclass{article} \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc} \begin{document} Something in this document. This paragraph contains no information and its purposes is to provide an example on how to insert white spaces and lines breaks.\\ When a line break is inserted, the text is not indented, there are a couple of extra commands do line breaks. \newline This paragraph provides no information whatsoever. We are exploring line breaks. \hfill \break And combining two commands \end{document} ``` [Open this example in Overleaf](https://www.overleaf.com/docs?engine=pdflatex\&snip_name=Another+line+break+example\&snip=%5Cdocumentclass%7Barticle%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%5Butf8%5D%7Binputenc%7D%0A%0A%5Cbegin%7Bdocument%7D%0ASomething+in+this+document.+This+paragraph+contains+no+information+%0Aand+its+purposes+is+to+provide+an+example+on+how+to+insert+white+%0Aspaces+and+lines+breaks.%5C%5C%0AWhen+a+line+break+is+inserted%2C+the+text+is+not+indented%2C+there+%0Aare+a+couple+of+extra+commands+do+line+breaks.+%5Cnewline%0AThis+paragraph+provides+no+information+whatsoever.+We+are+exploring+%0Aline+breaks.+%5Chfill+%5Cbreak%0AAnd+combining+two+commands%0A%5Cend%7Bdocument%7D) ![LineBreaksEx2new.png](/files/3nOHo9g8UNx6lzJ2EaYA) There are three commands here that work the same in the example: * `\\` (two backslashes) * `\newline` * `\hfill \break` For more line-breaking commands see the [reference guide](#reference-guide). ## Page breaks There are two commands to insert page breaks, `clearpage` and `newpage`. Below is an example using `clearpage`. ```latex \documentclass{article} \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc} \begin{document} Something in this document. This paragraph contains no information and its purposes is to provide an example on how to insert white spaces and lines breaks.\\ When a line break is inserted, the text is not indented, there are a couple of extra commands do line breaks. \newline This paragraph provides no information whatsoever. We are exploring line breaks. \hfill \break And combining two commands ... ... \begin{figure} \centering \includegraphics[width=3cm]{overleaf-logo} \caption{Overleaf logo} \end{figure} Hello, here is some text without a meaning... \clearpage ``` ![LineBreaksEx3OverleafNew.png](/files/QDAP1bIXMHpGUw6SQDnb) If the command `\clearpage` is used, and there are stacked floating elements, such as tables or figures, they will be flushed out before starting the new page. In the example above the same image is inserted three times. Since the page break is inserted before all the figures are displayed, remaining images are inserted in an empty page before continuing with the text below the break point. If this is not what you need, you can use `\newpage` instead. ```latex \documentclass{article} \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc} \begin{document} \documentclass{article} \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc} \begin{document} Something in this document. This paragraph contains no information and its purposes is to provide an example on how to insert white spaces and lines breaks.\\ When a line break is inserted, the text is not indented, there are a couple of extra commands do line breaks. \newline This paragraph provides no information whatsoever. We are exploring line breaks. \hfill \break And combining two commands ... ... \begin{figure} \centering \includegraphics[width=3cm]{overleaf-logo} \caption{Overleaf logo} \end{figure} Hello, here is some text without a meaning... \newpage ``` ![LineBreaksEx4Overleaf.png](/files/sdESc9vQ1edpdwX5WyRq) In this case the images are placed in the new page trying to fit the text flow. [Open in Overleaf](https://www.overleaf.com/project/new/template/19338?id=65200057\&templateName=\&latexEngine=\&texImage=texlive-full%3A2020.1\&mainFile=) ## Horizontal blank spaces Horizontal spaces of arbitrary length may be inserted with `\hspace`. ```latex Horizontal \hspace{1cm} spaces can be inserted manually. Useful to control the fine-tuning in the layout of pictures. Left Side \hfill Right Side ``` [Open this example in Overleaf](https://www.overleaf.com/docs?engine=\&snip_name=Horizontal+spaces\&snip=%5Cdocumentclass%7Barticle%7D%0A%5Cbegin%7Bdocument%7D%0A%0AHorizontal+%5Chspace%7B1cm%7D+spaces+can+be+inserted+manually.+Useful+%0Ato+control+the+fine-tuning+in+the+layout+of+pictures.%0A%0ALeft+Side+%5Chfill+Right+Side%0A%0A%5Cend%7Bdocument%7D) ![LineBreaksEx5.png](/files/yc40GMwzlWBqgxVhcMNJ) There are two commands that insert horizontal blank spaces in this example: **\hspace{1cm}** Inserts a horizontal space whose length is 1cm. Other LaTeX units can be used with this command. **\hfill** Inserts a blank space that will stretch accordingly to fill the space available. The commands `\hrulefill` and `\dotfill` do the same as `\hfill` but instead of blank spaces they insert a horizontal ruler and a string of dots, respectively. ## Vertical blank spaces Vertical blank spaces have the same syntax as horizontal ones. ```latex Text at the top of the page. Text at the top of the page. Text at the top of the page. Text at the top of the page. Text at the top of the page. Text at the top of the page. Text at the top of the page. \vspace{5mm} %5mm vertical space This text still at the top, 5mm below the first paragraph. \vfill Text at the bottom of the page. ``` [Open this example in Overleaf](https://www.overleaf.com/docs?engine=\&snip_name=Vertical+blank+spaces\&snip=%5Cdocumentclass%7Barticle%7D%0A%5Cbegin%7Bdocument%7D%0A%0AText+at+the+top+of+the+page.+Text+at+the+top+of+the+page.+%0AText+at+the+top+of+the+page.+Text+at+the+top+of+the+page.+%0AText+at+the+top+of+the+page.+Text+at+the+top+of+the+page.+%0AText+at+the+top+of+the+page.%0A%0A%5Cvspace%7B5mm%7D+%255mm+vertical+space%0A%0AThis+text+still+at+the+top%2C+5mm+below+the+first+paragraph.%0A%0A%5Cvfill%0A%0AText+at+the+bottom+of+the+page.%0A%0A%5Cend%7Bdocument%7D) ![LineBreaksEx6.png](/files/afQdTkOKJN8atoToiDDk) Let's see the two commands that insert vertical blank spaces. **\vspace{5mm}** Inserts a vertical spaces whose length is 5mm. Other LaTeX units can be used with this command. **\vfill** Inserts a blank space that will stretch accordingly to fill the vertical space available. That's why the line "Text at the bottom of the page." is moved to the bottom, and the rest of the space is filled in. There are other three commands commonly used to insert vertical blank spaces **\smallskip** Adds a 3pt space plus or minus 1pt depending on other factors (document type, available space, etc) **\medskip** Adds a 6pt space plus or minus 2pt depending on other factors (document type, available space, etc) **\bigskip** Adds a 12pt space plus or minus 4pt depending on other factors (document type, available space, etc) ## Reference guide **Additional line-breaking commands** * ```latex \\* ``` (two backslashes and an asterisk) breaks the line at the point of the command and additionally prohibits a page break after the forced line break. * ```latex \break ``` breaks the line without filling the current line. This will result in very bad formatting if you do not fill the line yourself. To fill the line, we can use it as given below. * ```latex \hfill\break ``` This will produce the same result as *\newline* and *\\\\*. Additionally, LaTeX provides the following advanced option for line break. * ```latex \linebreak[number] ``` It breaks the line at the point of the command. The *number* provided as an argument represents the priority of the command in a range of 0 to 4. (0 means it will be easily ignored and 4 means do it anyway). When this line break option is used, LaTeX will try to produce the best line breaks possible. ## Further reading For more information see: * [Lengths in LaTeX](/latex/formatting/01-lengths-in-latex.md) * [Paragraphs and new lines](/latex/latex-basics/02-paragraphs-and-new-lines.md) * [Paragraph formatting](/latex/formatting/04-articles-how-to-change-paragraph-spacing-in-latex.md) * [Text alignment](/latex/formatting/06-text-alignment.md) * [Bold, italics and underlining](/latex/latex-basics/03-bold-italics-and-underlining.md) * [Lists](/latex/latex-basics/04-lists.md) * [Single sided and double sided documents](/latex/formatting/08-single-sided-and-double-sided-documents.md) * [Multiple columns](/latex/formatting/09-multiple-columns.md) * [The not so short introduction to LaTeX2ε](http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/info/lshort/) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. 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