Unicode 13.0.0 (original) (raw)

2020 March 10 (Announcement)

Version 13.0.0 has been superseded by the latest version of the Unicode Standard.

This page summarizes the important changes for the Unicode Standard, Version 13.0.0. This version supersedes all previous versions of the Unicode Standard.

A. Summary
B. Technical Overview
C. Stability Policy Update
D. Textual Changes and Character Additions
E. Conformance Changes
F. Changes in the Unicode Character Database
G. Changes in the Unicode Standard Annexes
H. Changes in Synchronized Unicode Technical Standards
M. Implications for Migration

A. Summary

Unicode 13.0 adds 5,930 characters, for a total of 143,859 characters. These additions include 4 new scripts, for a total of 154 scripts, as well as 55 new emoji characters.

The new scripts and characters in Version 13.0 add support for lesser-used languages and unique written requirements worldwide, including numerous symbols additions. Funds from the Adopt-a-Character program provided support for some of these additions. The new scripts and characters include:

Popular symbol additions:

Other symbol additions include:

Support for CJK unified ideographs was enhanced in Version 13.0, by the addition of Extension G, which is the first block to be encoded in Plane 3, as well as by significant corrections and improvements to the Unihan database. Changes to the Unihan database include updated regular expressions for many properties, the addition of several new properties, and the removal of three obsolete provisional properties. See UAX #38, Unicode Han Database (Unihan) for more information on the updates.

Additional support for lesser-used languages and scholarly work was extended, including:

Important chart font updates, including:

Synchronization

Several other important Unicode specifications have been updated for Version 13.0. The following four Unicode Technical Standards are versioned in synchrony with the Unicode Standard, because their data files cover the same repertoire. All have been updated to Version 13.0:

Some of the changes in Version 13.0 and associated Unicode Technical Standards may require modifications to implementations. For more information, see the migration and modification sections of UTS #10, UTS #39, UTS #46, and UTS #51.

This version of the Unicode Standard is also synchronized with ISO/IEC 10646:2020, sixth edition.

See Sections D through H below for additional details regarding the changes in this version of the Unicode Standard, its associated annexes, and the other synchronized Unicode specifications.

B. Technical Overview

Version 13.0 of the Unicode Standard consists of:

The core specification gives the general principles, requirements for conformance, and guidelines for implementers. The code charts show representative glyphs for all the Unicode characters. The Unicode Standard Annexes supply detailed normative information about particular aspects of the standard. The Unicode Character Database supplies normative and informative data for implementers to allow them to implement the Unicode Standard.

Core Specification

The core specification is available as a single pdf for viewing. (14 MB) Links are also available in the navigation bar on the left of this page to accessindividual chapters and appendices of the core specification.

Code Charts

Several sets of code charts are available. They serve different purposes:

For Unicode 13.0.0 in particular two additional sets of code chart pages are provided:

The delta and archival code charts are a stable part of this release of the Unicode Standard. They will never be updated.

Unicode Standard Annexes

Links to the individual Unicode Standard Annexes are available in the navigation bar on the left of this page. The list of significant changes in the content of the Unicode Standard Annexes for Version 13.0 can be found in Section G below.

Unicode Character Database

Data files for Version 13.0 of the Unicode Character Database are available. The ReadMe.txt in that directory provides a roadmap to the functions of the various subdirectories.Zipped versions of the UCD for bulk download are available, as well.

Version References

Version 13.0.0 of the Unicode Standard should be referenced as:

The Unicode Consortium. The Unicode Standard, Version 13.0.0, (Mountain View, CA: The Unicode Consortium, 2020. ISBN 978-1-936213-26-9)
http://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode13.0.0/

The terms “Version 13.0” or “Unicode 13.0” are abbreviations for the full version reference, Version 13.0.0.

The citation and permalink for the latest published version of the Unicode Standard is:

The Unicode Consortium. The Unicode Standard.
http://www.unicode.org/versions/latest/

A complete specification of the contributory files for Unicode 13.0 is found on the page Components for 13.0.0. That page also provides the recommended reference format for Unicode Standard Annexes. For examples of how to cite particular portions of the Unicode Standard, see also the Reference Examples.

Errata

Errata incorporated into Unicode 13.0 are listed by date in a separate table. For corrigenda and errata after the release of Unicode 13.0, see the list of current Updates and Errata.

C. Stability Policy Update

There were no significant changes to the Stability Policy of the core specification between Unicode 12.1 and Unicode 13.0.

D. Textual Changes and Character Additions

Four new scripts were added with accompanying new block descriptions:

Script Number ofCharacters
Chorasmian 28
Dives Akuru 72
Khitan Small Script 470
Yezidi 47

Changes in the Unicode Standard Annexes are listed in Section G.

Character Assignment Overview

5,930 characters have been added. Most character additions are in new blocks, but there are also character additions to a number of existing blocks. For details, see delta code charts.

E. Conformance Changes

There are no significant new conformance requirements in Unicode 13.0.

F. Changes in the Unicode Character Database

The detailed listing of all changes to the contributory data files of the Unicode Character Database for Version 13.0 can be found in UAX #44, Unicode Character Database. The changes listed there include character additions and property revisions to existing characters that will affect implementations. Some of the important impacts on implementations migrating from earlier versions of the standard are highlighted in Section M.

G. Changes in the Unicode Standard Annexes

In Version 13.0, some of the Unicode Standard Annexes have had significant revisions. The most important of these changes are listed below. For the full details of all changes, see the Modifications section of each UAX, linked directly from the following list of UAXes.

Unicode Standard Annex Changes
UAX #9Unicode Bidirectional Algorithm No significant changes in this version.
UAX #11East Asian Width The East_Asian_Width property status was changed from informative to normative.
UAX #14Unicode Line Breaking Algorithm Rule LB22 was changed to simply disallow breaking before ellipsis. Rule LB30 was changed to exclude full-width CP and OP. Text was added clarifying the tailorability of line break classes.
UAX #15Unicode Normalization Forms The explanation of script-specific exclusions was updated in Section 5.1, Composition Exclusion Types.
UAX #24Unicode Script Property Yezi was added to the scx set listed for U+060C.
UAX #29Unicode Text Segmentation A number of adjustments were made to values in Table 3, Word_Break Property Values. For consistency, prepended concatenation marks were omitted from the definition of Control in Table 2, Grapheme_Cluster_Break Property Values. Unnecessary external references to UTS #51 were removed.
UAX #31Unicode Identifier and Pattern Syntax A qualification was added to the example under UAX31-R1. Default Identifiers. Table 4 was retitled to "Excluded Scripts". Four new scripts were added to Table 4. Rows in Table 4 dedicated to character exclusions not directly associated with scripts were removed from the table, and those exclusions were moved to the derivation rules associated with UTS #39, Unicode Security Mechanisms.
UAX #34Unicode Named Character Sequences No significant changes in this version.
UAX #38Unicode Han Database (Unihan) The regular expressions for most of the existing IRG Source fields were updated. Documentation was added for new fields: kIRG_SSource, kIRG_UKSource, kTGHZ2013, kUnihanCore2020, and kSpoofingVariant. Documentation was removed for the obsolete fields: kRSJapanese, kRSKanWa, and kRSKorean. The format of the tables in Sections 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4 was revised for legibility, and a "Count" column was added to the tables in Section 4.4.
UAX #41Common References for Unicode Standard Annexes All references were updated for Unicode 13.0.
UAX #42Unicode Character Database in XML New code point attributes, values, and patterns were added.
UAX #44 Unicode Character Database Documentation was added for emoji properties. Documentation of the new ccc=6 value was added in Table 15. The Khitan Small Script was added to the list of scripts whose Name property is derived by rule. A note was added indicating that code point labels are included in the scope of the matching rule UAX44-LM2. There were also numerous other small editorial improvements to the text.
UAX #45 U-Source Ideographs A table was added summarizing U-source prefixes. The "UCI" prefix was marked as obsolete. The semantics of the "UK" prefix were clarified. References to SAT-sourced ideographs were removed. A "Comp" value was added to the list of possible status values. UNC-2013 and UNC-2015 status values were removed. A description of the radical-stroke charts associated with the U-Source ideographs was added.
UAX #50 Unicode Vertical Text Layout Section 3.2 was significantly reorganized, with new content added regarding layout issues for squared Katakana and ideographic words. Horizontal and vertical glyphs were added for U+32FF SQUARE ERA NAME REIWA.

H. Changes in Synchronized Unicode Technical Standards

There are also significant revisions in the Unicode Technical Standards whose versions are synchronized with the Unicode Standard. The most important of these changes are listed below. For the full details of all changes, see the Modifications section of each UTS, linked directly from the following list of UTSes.

Unicode Technical Standard Changes
UTS #10Unicode Collation Algorithm Khitan Small Script and the new Tangut Supplement block were added to the specification for computing implicit weights in Table 16.
UTS #39Unicode Security Mechanisms This update systematically corrected various citations of "IdentifierType", "Identifier Type" and "Type" to use "Identifier_Type" consistently, and similarly for "Identifier_Status". Definitions of Identifier_Type values were clarified in Table 1.
UTS #46Unicode IDNA Compatibility Processing No significant changes in this version.
UTS #51Unicode Emoji A new section was added on how to use ZWJ sequences to change the color of base emoji, to represent such emoji as black cat. Five characters were removed from the explicit gender table, since they were made gender-neutral. RGI sequences were added, showing more skin tone combinations for people holding hands. A definition was added for emoji component. Color was added to the specification of the order of elements in emoji ZWJ sequences.

M. Implications for Migration

There are a significant number of changes in Unicode 13.0 which may impact implementations upgrading to Version 13.0 from earlier versions of the standard. The most important of these are listed and explained here, to help focus on the issues most likely to cause unexpected trouble during upgrades.

Four new scripts have been added in Unicode 13.0.0. Some of these scripts have particular attributes which may cause issues for implementations. The more important of these attributes are summarized here.

General Character Property Changes

There are a number of issues related to particular character properties:

Numeric Property Issues

CJK/Unihan Changes

See UAX #38, Unicode Han Database (Unihan) for further details on these changes, especially Section 4.2, Listing by Date of Addition to the Unicode Standard, and Section 4.3, Listing by Location within Unihan.zip. UAX #38 also has updated regex values for numerous Unihan properties.

Standardized Variation Sequences

Two new standardized variation sequences were added to emoji-variation-sequences.txt to distinguish text presentation and emoji presentation forms of U+26A7 MALE WITH STROKE AND MALE AND FEMALE SIGN. This results from the new use of U+26A7 in an emoji sequence defined for Version 13.0.0.

Emoji Changes

New Data Files Added to the UCD

Code Charts

The Default Unicode Collation Element Table (DUCET) was updated to the Unicode 13.0.0 repertoire for UCA 13.0. For the most part, the additions for new scripts and other characters are unremarkable, but the following issue may cause problems for migration of implementations that parse allkeys.txt:

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