Convert Tabs to Spaces

Easily switch between tabs and spaces. Normalize your code indentation or clean up text formatting instantly.

0 Lines | 0 Chars

Select how many spaces equal one tab.

0 Lines | 0 Chars
ReadOnly Mode

Ultra Fast

Changes apply in real-time. No server delays or page reloads.

100% Private

Processing happens in your browser. Your data never leaves your device.

File Ready

Easily process large text files via drag-and-drop or file selector.

Try These Examples

Python Standard

Convert tabs to 4 spaces (PEP 8 standard).

Apply Now

JavaScript/JSON

Convert tabs to 2 spaces for JS/JSON.

Apply Now

Go Lang (Tabs)

Convert 4 spaces to tabs (Go standard).

Apply Now

Legacy Code

Convert 8 spaces to tabs.

Apply Now

Tabs vs. Spaces: The Ultimate Guide

The debate between using tabs or spaces for indentation is as old as programming itself. Whether you prefer the precision of spaces (like in Python or YAML) or the flexibility of tabs (like in Go), this tool makes it easy to switch between them.

Why Convert Indentation?

  • Consistency: Mixing tabs and spaces can cause errors in languages like Python or Makefiles. Converting everything to one style ensures code runs correctly.
  • Style Guides: Different projects have different rules. For example, the Linux Kernel uses 8-space tabs, while most JS projects use 2 spaces.
  • File Size: Tabs take up less space (1 byte) compared to 4 spaces (4 bytes), which can matter for very large files.
  • Accessibility: Tabs allow individual developers to set their own indentation width in their editor, making code easier to read for everyone.

Supported Formats

This tool works with any text file, but is especially useful for:

  • Programming: Python (.py), JavaScript (.js), PHP (.php), Java, C++, Go.
  • Data Formats: JSON, YAML, XML, HTML, CSS.
  • Plain Text: Markdown files, logs, and configuration files.