Is CSS tab-size inherited?

Yes, CSS tab-size is an inherited property. When you set tab-size on a parent element, child elements inherit that value unless overridden. This makes it convenient to set a default tab-size for all code blocks in a documentation site or code display area, then override for specific elements if needed.

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Free Online CSS Tab Size Generator

Q: What's the difference between tab-size and CSS indentation?

tab-size controls how browser renders tab characters (\t) in text content, while CSS indentation (text-indent, padding-left, margin-left) controls visual spacing of entire elements or block-level content. tab-size only affects tab characters within preserved whitespace, making it ideal for code blocks and preformatted text.

Control tab character width in code blocks instantly

Our free online CSS tab size tool lets you generate CSS tab size code to customize indentation. Change tab width in CSS instantly with live preview. Works in your browser—no download required.

⚡ Generate CSS How it works

Output: CSS Code
Mode: In-browser
Time: Instant
Price: Free

⚡

Instant Preview

See exactly how your tab-size value renders in real-time with live code preview.

🎨

Customizable

Adjust tab size from 0 to 10 spaces to match your coding style and preferences.

🔒

100% Private

Everything runs locally in your browser. Your code never leaves your device.

CSS Tab Size Generator

Adjust the slider to set your tab size, preview the result, and copy the CSS code.

Tab Size: 4 spaces

010

Generated CSS

tab-size: 4;

Live Preview

function example() {
	if (condition) {
		console.log("Tab size: 4");
	}
}

This preview shows how tabs render with your selected tab-size value. Combine with white-space: pre-wrap for best results.

What is CSS Tab Size?

CSS tab-size is a CSS property that controls the width of tab characters (\\t) when rendering text in code blocks and preformatted content. This property allows you to customize code indentation in browser by specifying how many spaces a single tab character represents. A free online CSS tab size tool like this one is essential for displaying documentation and technical content with consistent formatting.

When you write code in a text editor, tabs are commonly used for indentation. However, when that code is displayed in a web browser, the default tab width (typically 8 spaces) might not match your preferred style. Use this CSS tab-size generator online free to set tab size to 4 spaces CSS code (or any other value) to ensure your code displays exactly as intended. How to change tab width in CSS? Simply select your value and copy the generated property.

✗Default Tab Size (8 spaces)

function example() {
		if (condition) {
			console.log("Tab: 8 spaces");
		}
}

Wide indentation (default)

✓Custom Tab Size (4 spaces)

function example() {
	if (condition) {
		console.log("Tab: 4 spaces");
	}
}

Compact, readable indentation

The CSS tab-size property works specifically with elements that preserve whitespace, such as <pre> elements or any element with white-space: pre, white-space: pre-wrap, or white-space: pre-line. Without these white-space values, browsers collapse tabs into single spaces by default, making the tab-size property ineffective.

According to the W3C CSS Text Module Level 3 specification, tab-size accepts positive integer values (representing the number of spaces) or length values. This property is inherited, meaning child elements will use the same tab-size unless explicitly overridden, making it easy to set consistent tab formatting across an entire code display area.

Common Use Cases

The CSS tab-size property is vital for any website that displays technical content or code snippets. Here are the most frequent scenarios where a css tab width generator is needed:

📝API Documentation

Provide clear, readable API examples by using css tab-size for preformatted text. Setting a value of 2 or 4 ensures that nested JSON responses or function calls are properly aligned, improving the developer experience.

📚Programming Tutorials

Educational content needs to be scannable. Use this online css tab size builder to ensure your tutorial code blocks match the indentation standards of the language you're teaching, such as 4 spaces for Python or 2 for JavaScript.

📱Mobile Technical Blogs

Default 8-space tabs often break layouts on mobile devices. Use a css tab size maker to set a smaller width (e.g., 2), preventing horizontal scrolling and keeping your code blocks mobile-friendly.

⚙️Internal Developer Portals

Standardize the look of your internal documentation by applying a site-wide css tab-size property. This ensures consistency across different contributors and tools, maintaining a professional technical presentation.

CSS Tab Size Usage

Key insights about tab-size usage in modern web development

95%+

Browser Support

All modern browsers

2-4

Common Values

Industry Standards

According to Can I Use, CSS tab-size is supported in all modern browsers. The most common tab-size values are 2, 4, and 8 spaces, with 4 being the most popular choice for JavaScript, Python, and other modern programming languages. Documentation sites like MDN, GitHub, and Stack Overflow use tab-size to ensure code examples display with consistent formatting.

Why Use CSS Tab Size?

The CSS tab-size property offers significant benefits for displaying code, documentation, and preformatted text on the web. Here's why you should use it in your projects:

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Improved Code Readability

Custom tab sizes make code blocks easier to read by matching your preferred indentation style. Whether you prefer 2, 4, or 8 spaces, CSS tab-size ensures your code examples display with consistent, readable formatting that aligns with modern coding standards and editor configurations.

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Consistent Formatting

Maintain consistent code formatting across different browsers and devices. The default 8-space tab width can make code appear overly indented, especially on smaller screens. Using tab-size: 4 or tab-size: 2 creates a more compact, professional appearance that works better in documentation and code examples.

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Better Code Display

Essential for code documentation sites, API references, tutorials, and developer blogs. When displaying code snippets, proper tab sizing ensures nested structures are clearly visible and aligned. This is especially important for complex code with multiple indentation levels, where incorrect tab sizing can make code difficult to follow.

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Mobile-Friendly Code

Smaller tab sizes (2-4 spaces) work better on mobile devices where screen width is limited. The default 8-space tabs can cause horizontal scrolling or awkward line breaks on small screens. Using CSS tab-size with smaller values ensures code blocks remain readable on all device sizes without excessive horizontal scrolling.

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Editor Consistency

Match your code editor's tab settings when displaying code on the web. Most modern code editors use 2 or 4 spaces for tabs. By setting tab-size to match your editor settings, code examples on your website will look identical to how they appear in the editor, creating a seamless developer experience.

✨

Professional Presentation

Create professional-looking code displays that enhance your documentation, tutorials, and technical content. Well-formatted code with appropriate tab sizing demonstrates attention to detail and improves the perceived quality of your content. This is especially important for developer-focused websites, API documentation, and educational resources.

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Real-World Usage

Major developer resources like MDN Web Docs, GitHub, and Stack Overflow use CSS tab-size to ensure code examples display with consistent, readable formatting. Documentation frameworks like Docusaurus, GitBook, and VuePress include tab-size configuration to maintain code readability across their platforms.

Whether you're building a developer blog, API documentation, coding tutorial site, or technical documentation, using CSS tab-size ensures your code examples are presented professionally and remain readable across all devices and screen sizes.

How It Works

Using CSS tab-size is straightforward. Follow these simple steps to control tab width in your code blocks:

1

Select Tab Size

Choose your desired tab size value (typically 2, 4, or 8 spaces) using our generator slider or specify it directly in CSS.

2

Apply to Elements

Apply the CSS tab-size property to <pre> or <code> elements, or combine with white-space: pre-wrap.

3

Preview & Copy

Preview how your code displays with the selected tab size, then copy the generated CSS code to your stylesheet.

Example Usage

/* Set tab size for all code blocks */
pre {
  tab-size: 4;
  white-space: pre-wrap;
}

/* Or target specific elements */
.code-block {
  tab-size: 2;
  white-space: pre;
}

Best Practices for CSS Tab Size

Implementing CSS tab-size correctly ensures your technical content remains accessible, professional, and readable across all devices. Here are the industry best practices for managing code indentation on the web:

1. Always Pair with White-Space

The css tab-size property only takes effect when whitespace is preserved. Always combine it with white-space: pre-wrap or white-space: pre. This is a common pitfall where developers forget that standard HTML collapses tabs by default. Our css tab size tool generates the base property, but your stylesheet must handle the wrapping.

2. Respect Language Conventions

Different programming languages have different indentation standards. Use tab-size: 4 for Java, C++, and Python, while tab-size: 2 is more common for HTML, CSS, and modern JavaScript. This online css tab size builder lets you test both to see which provides better visual clarity for your specific content.

3. Prioritize Mobile Accessibility

Large tab widths are the primary cause of horizontal scrolling on mobile documentation. To improve your Core Web Vitals and mobile user experience, consider using a smaller tab size (like 2) specifically for mobile breakpoints. This prevents layout shifts and ensures interface usability on small screens.

4. Performance Considerations

Using native CSS tab-size properties is significantly more performant than using JavaScript-based syntax highlighters to replace tabs with spaces. Native CSS is handled by the browser's rendering engine, contributing to a faster Interaction to Next Paint (INP) score.

Pro Tip: For the most consistent results, set your css tab size on the parent pre element. If you're formatting large blocks of code, use our CSS Formatter first to ensure your source code is clean before applying visual tab customizations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CSS tab-size property?

CSS tab-size is a property that controls how many spaces a tab character (\\t) represents in code blocks and preformatted text. It works with elements that preserve whitespace, such as <pre> elements or elements with white-space: pre or white-space: pre-wrap. The default tab-size is typically 8 spaces, but you can customize it to match your coding style preferences.

How do I use CSS tab-size in my code?

Apply tab-size to elements containing tab characters, typically <pre> or <code> elements. For example: pre { tab-size: 4; } sets tabs to 4 spaces. You can also use it inline or combine it with white-space: pre-wrap to maintain formatting. The value can be a positive integer (number of spaces) or a length value like 2em.

What values can CSS tab-size accept?

CSS tab-size accepts positive integer values (e.g., 1, 2, 4, 8) representing the number of spaces, or length values (e.g., 2em, 10px). Common values are 2, 4, and 8 spaces. The value must be positive - negative values are invalid. Zero is also valid and makes tabs render as zero width.

Does CSS tab-size work in all browsers?

Yes, CSS tab-size has excellent browser support in all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. For older browsers, you may need vendor prefixes like -moz-tab-size for Firefox. However, modern browsers support the standard tab-size property without prefixes. Check caniuse.com for specific browser version compatibility.

When should I use CSS tab-size?

Use CSS tab-size when displaying code blocks, documentation, or preformatted text where you want to control tab indentation. It's especially useful for code examples, API documentation, syntax highlighting, or any scenario where you need consistent tab rendering. It helps maintain code readability and alignment in browser-rendered content.

Can I use CSS tab-size with white-space property?

Yes, CSS tab-size works with white-space: pre, white-space: pre-wrap, and white-space: pre-line. These properties preserve whitespace and tabs, allowing tab-size to take effect. Without these white-space values, tabs are typically collapsed into single spaces by default, making tab-size ineffective.

What's the difference between tab-size and CSS indentation?

tab-size controls how browser renders tab characters (\\t) in text content, while CSS indentation (text-indent, padding-left, margin-left) controls visual spacing of entire elements or block-level content. tab-size only affects tab characters within preserved whitespace, making it ideal for code blocks and preformatted text.

How to change tab width in CSS?

You can change tab width in CSS by using the tab-size property. For example, pre { tab-size: 2; } will make every tab character render as 2 spaces. Use our css tab size maker to preview and copy the code instantly.

What is the standard tab size for code blocks?

The most common values are 2 and 4 spaces. 4 spaces is the standard for languages like Python and Java, while 2 spaces is often preferred for HTML and mobile-first documentation. Use this css tab width generator to see which looks better for your specific code.

Why is my CSS tab-size not working?

The most common reason is that the element doesn't have white-space preservation. Ensure your element has white-space: pre or pre-wrap. This is required for css tab-size for preformatted text to be applied by the browser.

Is there a free online CSS tab size tool?

Yes, our free online CSS tab size tool is completely free to use and runs entirely in your browser. It allows you to generate CSS tab size code without any registration or downloads.

Does tab-size support em or px units?

Yes, while most developers use integers (number of spaces), css tab-size property values can also be length values like 2em or 20px. This provides pixel-perfect indentation for complex layouts.