Control characters, also known as non-printable characters or ASCII control characters, are characters that do not have a visual representation when displayed but instead control various functions in a text-based environment. These characters are used to perform actions such as formatting, positioning, and managing data flow. Control characters are typically not meant to be displayed as visible characters, but they have specific effects on how text is processed and displayed.
Some common control characters include:
- Newline (NL) or Line Feed (LF): This character (usually represented by “\n”) is used to start a new line of text. It moves the cursor or insertion point to the beginning of the next line.
- Carriage Return (CR): This character (usually represented by “\r”) moves the cursor or insertion point to the beginning of the current line. It’s often used in conjunction with a newline character to create a new line.
- Tab (TAB): The tab character (represented by “\t”) is used to create horizontal spacing by moving the cursor to the next tab stop position.
- Backspace (BS): The backspace character (usually represented by “\b”) moves the cursor one position to the left, effectively erasing the character before it.
- Escape (ESC): The escape character (usually represented by “\e” or “\033”) is used to initiate special commands or control sequences. It’s often used in conjunction with other characters to create advanced formatting or color changes.
- Null (NUL): The null character (usually represented by “\0”) is used to indicate the end of a string or a data stream in some contexts.
- Form Feed (FF): The form feed character (usually represented by “\f”) is used to signal a page break or to move the cursor to the top of the next page.
These control characters have specific meanings in various programming languages, text editors, and communication protocols. They play a crucial role in text manipulation, document formatting, and data transmission.
Key terms in plain language
Open a term for a concise explanation of language used on this page.
Broadband
A general term for always-on, high-speed Internet access. Broadband can be delivered over fiber, cable, DSL, fixed wireless, cellular, or satellite networks.
Cloud Computing
Computing resources—such as applications, servers, storage, or databases—delivered from remote infrastructure and scaled as requirements change.
Cybersecurity
The practices and controls used to protect identities, devices, networks, applications, and data from unauthorized access, disruption, or manipulation.
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
The systems and policies that determine who a user is, what resources they may access, and how that access is authenticated and reviewed.
API
An application programming interface is a defined way for software systems to exchange data or request functions from one another.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Software designed to perform tasks involving prediction, classification, generation, reasoning, or decision support. Business use still requires clear data, governance, security, and human accountability.