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Spaces ↔ Tabs Converter

Convert leading spaces to tabs and tabs to spaces - choose your indent size.

Spaces to Tabs Converter logo
by
CHUNKY
MUNSTER
Tab size (spaces):
INPUT0 CHARS
OUTPUT0 CHARS

About Spaces ↔ Tabs

Converts leading whitespace on each line - useful for switching between space-indented and tab-indented code. The tab size setting controls how many spaces equal one tab when converting. Runs entirely in your browser.

Spaces to Tabs Converter is a precision utility designed for developers who need to standardize indentation across disparate codebases. This indent normalizer allows you to toggle between space-based and tab-based indentation with configurable widths, ensuring your source code adheres to specific style guides. Whether you are fixing mixed indentation errors or migrating a project to a new formatting standard, our converter provides a clean, automated solution that respects your code's internal logic.

How to Use This Indent Normalizer

  1. Paste your source code or configuration file into the primary input area.
  2. Specify the desired indent width (e.g., 2, 4, or 8 spaces per tab).
  3. Execute the conversion: select "Spaces → Tabs" to compress leading whitespace, or "Tabs → Spaces" to expand indentation.
  4. Review the live output and copy the standardized text back to your development environment.

Professional Code Indentation Features

Spaces to Tabs Converter FAQ

Will this convert spaces inside string literals?

No - only leading whitespace is touched. A line like print("a b") keeps the four spaces between a and b intact, and only the leading tab (or spaces) is converted.

What tab width should I pick?

It depends on the language convention: Python uses 4, Go uses tabs that render as 4 or 8, Rust uses 4, and many web stacks (HTML/JS) use 2. The default of 4 is the most common compromise.

How are mixed-indentation lines handled?

Each leading whitespace character is expanded or compressed individually based on the chosen tab width. So 1 tab + 2 spaces with a width of 4 expands to 6 spaces, and 6 spaces compresses to 1 tab + 2 spaces.

Why do my tests/diffs break after conversion?

Whitespace-sensitive languages (Python, YAML, Makefile) require consistent indentation throughout a block. Converting one block but not another can break parsing. Always run the converter over the whole file, not a snippet.

Clean up your source code and resolve indentation conflicts instantly with this professional Spaces to Tabs Converter, the ultimate indent normalizer for modern developers.