How to type { (Left curly brace)

What is the left curly brace for?

The left curly brace { opens a block in most programming languages: C, Java, JavaScript, PHP, Rust or Go. It always comes with its closing partner, Right curly brace }.

if (total > 0) {
  console.log(total);
}

You will also find it:

• in JSON objects: {"name": "Jane"};
• in CSS rules: a { color: inherit; };
• in templates (Twig, Handlebars, Vue): {{ title }};
• in mathematics, to write a set: {1, 2, 3}.

Pitfalls

• Do not mix up braces { }, brackets [ ] and parentheses ( ): one slip is a syntax error. On this layout, square brackets are typed like this: [.
• On other layouts the brace is somewhere else entirely, for example ⌥ Option+( on French – Numerical. If your shortcuts “stop working”, check the active input source in the menu bar.
• In a code editor, the brace may close itself: the editor adds }, not the keyboard.