# \thinspace

Used to insert a small positive horizontal space in math when explicit fine spacing is needed.

https://texform.dev/latex/commands/thinspace

## Metadata

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Topic | [Spacing](https://texform.dev/latex/topics/spacing) |
| Packages | base, textmacros |
| Allowed mode | math, text |
| Tags | spacing |
| Commonality | medium |
| Kind | prefix |

## Syntax

### base

Argument specification: ``

Used to insert a small positive horizontal space in math when explicit fine spacing is needed.

### textmacros

Argument specification: ``

Insert a small positive horizontal space in text for fine spacing adjustments.

## Examples

```latex
a \thinspace b
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=a+%5Cthinspace+b)

```latex
\text{a\thinspace b}
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%5Ctext%7Ba%5Cthinspace+b%7D)

## Package variants

| Package | Argument specification | Allowed mode | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| base |  | math | Used to insert a small positive horizontal space in math when explicit fine spacing is needed. |
| textmacros |  | text | Insert a small positive horizontal space in text for fine spacing adjustments. |

## Renderer support

| Package | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| base | full | full | full |
| textmacros | full | full | full |

## Usage frequency

0.04% of formulas in the measured corpus contain this entry, rank 138 of 263 entries with frequency data.

## In TeXForm

TeXForm parses this entry as prefix syntax; the package determines its argument specification.

### [base/thinspace-to-comma-space](https://texform.dev/rules/base/thinspace-to-comma-space)

Collapse thinspace to the explicit thin math space command.

Level: authoring. Fidelity: render.

```latex
\thinspace
```

→

```latex
\,
```

```latex
f(x) \thinspace = \thinspace g(x+1)
```

→

```latex
f(x) \, = \, g(x+1)
```

## Equivalent forms

```latex
\,
```

exact. Both are mapped in BaseMappings.ts to BaseMethods.Spacer with MATHSPACE.thinmathspace.

```latex
\,
```

exact. Math mode equivalent

## See also

- [\\,](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/-2c-)
- [\\;](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/-3b-)
- [\\:](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/-3a-)
- [\\!](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/-21-)
- [\\>](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/-3e-)
- [\\enspace](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/enspace)
- [\\negmedspace](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/negmedspace)
- [\\negthickspace](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/negthickspace)
- [\\negthinspace](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/negthinspace)
- [\\qquad](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/qquad)
- [\\quad](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/quad)

## Test cases

### base

| Input | Case | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| \thinspace | Positive: baseline | Pass | Pass | Pass |

### textmacros

| Input | Case | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| \thinspace | Positive: baseline | Pass | Pass | Pass |