Vertical bar (|) is the Unicode character at U+007C in Basic Latin. Official name: VERTICAL LINE — also called the pipe. Used for separators, shell pipes, and code notation.
Remember
Character |
Unicode U+007C
Named entity | / | / |
Hex entity |
Decimal |
CSS escape \007C
Not the same ¦ · ‖ · ⋮
Prefer typing | directly in normal HTML. Use | (or | / |) when you want an explicit entity form.
Using Named Entity: |
Using Hex Code: |
Using HTML Code: |
Using CSS Entity: |
Typed directly: |
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How It Works
1. Named:| (also | / |) resolves to U+007C — the clearest entity form.
2. Hex:U+007C → | in HTML. Same glyph as the named entities.
3. Decimal: same code point as 124 → |. Same result as hex and named.
4. CSS: use \007C in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that | after the paragraph text.
5. Typed / separator: paste | in UTF-8 — usually the simplest choice for nav labels and code samples.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with U+007C.
vs ¦
Not the broken bar
¦ (¦) is broken/parted. For a solid pipe, use | or |.
vs ‖
Not a double line
‖ is DOUBLE VERTICAL LINE — two bars side by side, not a single pipe.
vs ⋮
Not a vertical ellipsis
⋮ (⋮) is three vertical dots (menu / “more”). Do not use it as a pipe.
I vs l
Easy to misread in fonts
In some fonts |, I, and l look similar. Prefer a monospace font in code, and add spacing in UI separators.
Aliases
| = | = |
All three named entities map to U+007C. Pick one style and stay consistent.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\007C belongs in CSS strings. | / | / | belong in HTML.
A11y
Separators need context
For nav like Home | About, screen readers may announce “vertical line.” Prefer list markup or aria-hidden on purely decorative separators when appropriate.
Compatibility
Browser Support
The vertical bar (U+007C) and its entity forms (|, |, |, |, |, CSS \\007C) are supported in all mainstream browsers. It is a core ASCII character.
✓ Universal support
Vertical Bar (|)
Encode with named, hex, decimal, CSS escape, or type the character — same code point everywhere.
100%Browser coverage
Google ChromeSupported
Yes
Microsoft EdgeSupported
Yes
Mozilla FirefoxSupported
Yes
Apple SafariSupported
Yes
OperaSupported
Yes
Internet ExplorerAll versions
Yes
U+007C / |Full support
Bottom line: Prefer typing | in normal HTML. Use | when you need an entity. Do not confuse with ¦ (broken bar).
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: vertical bar is U+007C (decimal 124) — glyph |.
HTML: type |, or use | / | / |.
CSS: use \007C inside content for generated text.
Meaning:| is the solid pipe — not ¦ (broken), not ‖ (double), not ⋮ (ellipsis).
Type | directly in UTF-8, or use | / | / | (named), | (hex), | (decimal), or the CSS escape \007C in content. Typing | directly is usually best.
U+007C (VERTICAL LINE). Hex 7C, decimal 124. It belongs to Basic Latin (ASCII).
Yes. Use |, |, or |. Numeric forms | and | also work.
No. | is the solid vertical bar (U+007C). ¦ is the broken vertical bar (¦, U+00A6) — a different character.
Usually type | directly. Use | or numeric forms when generating markup, documenting entities, or when escaping makes the pipe clearer in source.
HTML entities (|, |, or |) go in markup. The CSS escape \007C goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).
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Did you know?
Vertical bar (|) is Unicode U+007C (decimal 124) — official name VERTICAL LINE in Basic Latin (ASCII). HTML5 names it |, |, and |. Used as a pipe in shells/code, a separator in UI text, and a logical OR in some languages. Do not confuse with broken bar ¦ (¦, U+00A6).
