Indentation

Indentation refers to the blank space, or a recess, created from the margin of a line, paragraph, or surface. It’s a visual cue, primarily in writing and formatting, indicating a shift in structure, hierarchy, or emphasis. In coding, indentation clarifies code blocks, enhancing readability and functionality. It can also appear on materials, indicating a depression or mark caused by pressure or impact. Proper indentation is key to clear communication, whether in text or physical objects.

Indentation meaning with examples

• The essay required each new paragraph to start with a five-space indentation, making it easier for the reader to follow the flow of ideas and distinguish different sections. This formatting helped improve overall comprehension and provided visual clarity to the essay's structure and organization.
• When writing code in Python, indentation is crucial. For example, the statements inside an 'if' block must be indented to show they are part of that conditional statement, without it the code will not run.
• A small indentation on the car's fender revealed the location of the minor collision. The body shop would fill the indentation to restore the car's smooth surface. This indentation served as physical evidence of the incident.
• During formatting, the document’s header was given an indentation, which signaled a new section and the writer's need to highlight a particular point, and helped in structuring the outline.
• The typographer used indentation to highlight the dialogue. This formatting made it easy to spot spoken words. The indentation within the dialogue blocks created clear separation.