A numeric character reference (NCR) is a method of representing characters or symbols in a document using numeric codes. It is often used in computer programming, markup languages, and web development to ensure compatibility and consistent display across different systems and platforms.
In NCRs, each character or symbol is assigned a unique number, known as a code point or Unicode code point. These code points can be expressed as decimal numbers, hexadecimal numbers, or entity references.
For example, the numeric character reference for the letter "A" in Unicode is A in decimal and A in hexadecimal. Similarly, the NCR for the copyright symbol "©" is © in decimal and © in hexadecimal.
NCRs are primarily used when the character or symbol cannot be directly entered or displayed due to limitations in the character encoding or system support. They allow developers and content creators to represent special characters, non-printable characters, and symbols that aren't available on standard keyboards or ASCII character sets.
NCRs are commonly employed in HTML and XML documents, where they provide a reliable way to represent characters that may not be supported by certain browsers or text editors. By using NCRs, developers can ensure that these characters are correctly displayed even when the underlying system lacks full Unicode support.
Overall, numeric character references are an essential tool for accurately representing and displaying a wide range of characters and symbols in various digital contexts.
