SVG textPath spacing Attribute
The spacing attribute controls whether character positioning along a curved path uses exact geometric calculation or a smoother automatic adjustment.
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The Two spacing Attribute Values
The spacing attribute on <textPath> accepts auto (the default), which lets the browser automatically adjust character spacing for smoother, more visually even text flow along tight curves, or exact, which places each character based on strict geometric calculation along the path without that smoothing adjustment.
- auto (default) allows automatic spacing adjustment for smoother curved text flow
- exact places each character based on strict, unadjusted geometric path calculation
- The choice affects visual evenness specifically on tightly curved path sections
When to Choose exact vs auto Spacing
The default auto value produces better-looking results for most curved text use cases, particularly on tight curves where strict geometric placement can create uneven-looking gaps, while exact becomes relevant specifically when precise, predictable character positioning matters more than smooth visual appearance, such as programmatically measuring exact character positions.
- auto produces better visual results for most typical curved text use cases
- Particularly matters on tight curves where strict placement can look uneven
- exact suits cases needing precise, predictable positioning over visual smoothness
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing the spacing attribute affect startOffset behavior?
No, spacing and startOffset control different aspects — startOffset determines where the text begins along the path, while spacing determines how character positions are calculated once the text is flowing along that path.
Is the spacing attribute widely supported across browsers?
Support for spacing specifically has historically been less consistent than more commonly used textPath features, so testing the visual difference and fallback behavior across your target browsers is worthwhile before relying on the exact value specifically.
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