What are the special characters allowed in email address?
Email addresses are an integral part of our daily lives, and understanding the rules regarding special characters is crucial for creating valid and functional email addresses. In this article, we will explore the special characters that are allowed in email addresses and how they impact the overall functionality and security of your email account.
Allowed Special Characters
When constructing an email address, you can use a variety of special characters to enhance its uniqueness and personalization. Here are some of the commonly allowed special characters:
1. . (dot): The dot is the most frequently used special character in email addresses. It separates the local part (username) from the domain part (such as @gmail.com).
2. – (hyphen): Hyphens can be used to create more readable email addresses. For example, “john-doe@example.com” is more user-friendly than “johndoe@example.com.”
3. _ (underscore): Similar to hyphens, underscores can be used to separate words in the username. For example, “john_doe@example.com” is another acceptable format.
4. . (dot) within the local part: You can use dots within the local part of the email address, but they should not be placed consecutively. For example, “john..doe@example.com” is not a valid email address.
5. @ (at symbol): The at symbol is a mandatory character in email addresses and separates the local part from the domain part.
6. ! (exclamation mark), (hash), $ (dollar sign), % (percent), & (ampersand), ‘ (apostrophe), ( (left parenthesis), ) (right parenthesis), { (left curly brace), } (right curly brace), | (pipe), ^ (caret), ` (backtick), [ (left square bracket), ] (right square bracket), { (left curly brace), } (right curly brace), = (equal sign), + (plus sign), , (comma), . (dot), – (hyphen), _ (underscore), ; (semicolon), ?: (question mark), / (forward slash), \ (backslash), &39; (single quote), " (double quote), < (less than), > (greater than), & (ampersand), &46; (dot), &40; (left parenthesis), &41; (right parenthesis), &42; (asterisk), &43; (plus sign), &44; (comma), &45; (hyphen), &46; (dot), &47; (forward slash), &58; (colon), &59; (semicolon), &60; (less than), &61; (equal sign), &62; (greater than), &63; (question mark), &64; (at symbol), &65; (A), &66; (B), &67; (C), &68; (D), &69; (E), &70; (F), &71; (G), &72; (H), &73; (I), &74; (J), &75; (K), &76; (L), &77; (M), &78; (N), &79; (O), &80; (P), &81; (Q), &82; (R), &83; (S), &84; (T), &85; (U), &86; (V), &87; (W), &88; (X), &89; (Y), &90; (Z), &91; (left square bracket), &92; (backslash), &93; (right square bracket), &94; (carat), &95; (underscore), &96; (backtick), &97; (a), &98; (b), &99; (c), &100; (d), &101; (e), &102; (f), &103; (g), &104; (h), &105; (i), &106; (j), &107; (k), &108; (l), &109; (m), &110; (n), &111; (o), &112; (p), &113; (q), &114; (r), &115; (s), &116; (t), &117; (u), &118; (v), &119; (w), &120; (x), &121; (y), &122; (z), &123; (left curly brace), &124; (pipe), &125; (right curly brace), &126; (tilde).
Character Limitations and Restrictions
While there are many special characters that can be used in email addresses, there are certain limitations and restrictions to keep in mind:
1. Character Limitation: Most email providers have a character limit for the local part of the email address, which is typically between 64 and 256 characters.
2. Reserved Characters: Some special characters are reserved for specific purposes and cannot be used in the local part of the email address. These include: @, %, &, ‘, ?, /, :, “, <, >, and &.
3. Security and Privacy: Using certain special characters, such as % or &, can make your email address more susceptible to spam and phishing attacks. It is advisable to use a combination of letters, numbers, and hyphens or underscores for a more secure email address.
In conclusion, understanding the special characters allowed in email addresses is essential for creating a valid and secure email account. By following the guidelines and restrictions outlined in this article, you can create an email address that is both unique and functional.
