Template:\

 /

This is the "slash" template, which produces " /", i.e. a non-breaking space followed by a (forward-)slash character. It is most often used to indicate alternatives within a (horizontal) list of items, such as:

item 1 · item 2 · item 3a / 3b / 3c · item 4 · item 5 (etc)

The template is named using the backslash character ("\") as slashes cannot be used in page names.

Usage

To maintain good linewrapping, there should be no space between the template and whatever precedes it. There's also no need to include a space after the template, although doing so should not affect its function.

Salt{{\}}Pepper  ...produces...  Salt / Pepper

If linewrapping (i.e. a line-break) is required, the template ensures it occurs after the slash, not before:

salt /

pepper

For long slashed lists, each list item can be put on its own line with no spaces between each item and the template, like this:

 salt{{\}}
 pepper{{\}}
 Curry{{\}}
 Saffron

(It doesn't matter if there are no or some spaces at the end of the lines, after the templates.)

As before, it will render one space on each side of the slashes, like this:

salt / pepper / Curry / Saffron

Also, if it line breaks, then the line break will come after one of the slashes, not before, like this:

salt / pepper /

Curry / Saffron

Incorrect usage

If the template is used slightly wrong, it will, in some cases, still behave well. For instance, if there are zero or several spaces after the template, like these examples:

salt{{\}}pepper
salt{{\}}   pepper

Both of them will render exactly as before, with just one space on each side of the slash, like this:

salt / pepper

And it will still only line break after the slash, like this:

salt /

pepper

However, putting one or more spaces before the template will cause problems, like these examples:

salt {{\}}pepper
salt   {{\}}pepper
salt {{\}} pepper
salt   {{\}}   pepper

Then, it will render with two spaces before the slash and one after, like this:

salt  / pepper

Also, if it line breaks, it might break before the slash, like this:

salt

 / pepper

Technical details

The space before the slash is a non-breaking space. That means it will not line break and will not collapse together with normal spaces that come before the template.

The space after the slash is a normal space. That means it wraps (allows line breaks) and it will collapse together with normal spaces that come after the template to form one single space.

Under some circumstances, slashed link lists misbehave. They might get unexpected line wraps or they might expand outside the box they are enclosed in. The how-to guide: Wikipedia:Line-break handling, explains when that happens and how to fix it.

Dennis needs to get off his ass and do something with this page.