Why is textarea filled with mysterious white spaces?

Deciphering the white space enigma

In HTML, unlike in some programming languages, whitespace isn't ignored but becomes literal content. Here are some rogue elements that might cultivate those unwanted whitespace in your <textarea>:

• Leading or trailing spaces in the PHP variable.
• Hidden or non-printable characters in your data.
• Line breaks and indentations within the <textarea> tags.
• Incorrectly encoded HTML entities within your textarea.

For a whitespace-free <textarea>:

• Trim your PHP variables using functions like trim().
• Check and remove any non-printable characters.
• Encode your content using htmlspecialchars().
• Keep a direct line from the <textarea> opening to the content start.

Eradicating the white spaces

Let me walk you through the path to the whitespace-free <textarea>:

Maintain HTML structure and encoding

Ensure there are no hiding spaces. HTML encode every output that goes in your <textarea>:

<textarea><?php echo htmlspecialchars($text); ?></textarea>
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Handling PHP variables

Always trim your variables and sanitize your data. Squeaky clean data keeps your <textarea> content spotless:

$text = trim($input); //— "Trimming the fat" off our data
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Embrace simplicity

Complexity can be a petri dish for whitespace. Stick to tank-top and shorts rather than a three-piece suit:

<textarea><?php echo $this_aint_no_whitespace_factory; ?></textarea> // Keep it simple!
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Simplify, simplify, simplify!

Complex code can sprout spaces, much like my houseplants sprout leaves when I actually water them. Stick to a minimalist aesthetic:

// Code: Before Marie Kondo
<textarea>
    <?php echo $text; ?>     
</textarea>

// Code: After Marie Kondo
<textarea><?php echo htmlspecialchars($text, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8'); ?></textarea> // ✨Spark joy with clean code!✨
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Beating cursor quirks

Facing issues with the cursor turning up at surprising places? Let's call on JavaScript's special forces:

document.querySelector('textarea').setSelectionRange(0, 0); //—"Always at the top" Cursor, probably
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Weed out styling issues

Ensure no pesky CSS rules are creating chaos. Styles like white-space: nowrap; can mess things up. Inspect to spot such style rogues:

textarea {
  white-space: nowrap; /* Might as well call this `extra-space: invite;` 😒 */
}
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Monitor non-printable characters

Use tools or code to scan and remove non-printable characters. These invisible intruders might sneak in from unexpected sources.