[Docutils-develop] [docutils:feature-requests] #101 New "doctree" element for hard line breaks.

[Günter M. <mi...@us...>]

- **status**: pending-moreinfo --> open-fixed
- **Comment**:

The `<line_break>` element is implemented in [r10408].



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**[feature-requests:#101] New "doctree" element for hard line breaks.**

**Status:** open-fixed
**Group:** Default
**Created:** Tue Dec 12, 2023 08:16 PM UTC by Günter Milde
**Last Updated:** Mon Dec 15, 2025 11:32 AM UTC
**Owner:** nobody


Not providing for "hard line break elements" in the Docutils document model and reStructuredText syntax was a deliberate decision at the time these two were devised.

However, times have changed and there are new arguments and use-cases for hard line breaks.
(cf.  the  [comments in #85](https://sourceforge.net/p/docutils/feature-requests/85/#d02b)).
Something like a `<br>` inline node or special handling of `<inline class=line-break>` inline nodes may be considered. The latter would not change the document model and could be implemented at the writer level or via stylesheet rules.

Whether to add a reStructuredText syntax for hard line breaks can be decided independently.
The current rules require a non-white character in a role defined with `.. role:: line-break`.
    



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