How to use 'addlinespace' in LaTeX?

In LaTeX, the \addlinespace command is used to add extra vertical space between rows in tables. This command is part of the ‘booktabs’ package, which is commonly used for creating professional-looking tables. Here’s a guide on how to use \addlinespace in LaTeX:

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Step 1: Load the booktabs package

In your LaTeX document preamble (before \begin{document}), include the booktabs package by adding the following line:

\usepackage{booktabs}

Step 2: Create a table environment

Use the tabular environment to create a table. Here’s a basic example:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{booktabs}

\begin{document}

\begin{table}
  \centering
\begin{tabular}{ccccc}
  \toprule
  Column 1 & Column 2 & Column 3 & Column 4 & Column 5 \\
  \midrule
  A1 & B1 & C1 & D1 & E1 \\
  A2 & B2 & C2 & D2 & E2 \\
  A3 & B3 & C3 & D3 & E3 \\
  A4 & B4 & C4 & D4 & E4 \\
  \bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

\end{document}

Output

This example uses \toprule, \midrule, and \bottomrule to create horizontal lines for the table header, mid-section, and bottom, respectively.

Step 3: Use ‘\addlinespace’ to add space between rows

To add extra space between specific rows, use the \addlinespace command. Place it where you want to add the additional space. For example:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{booktabs}

\begin{document}

\begin{table}
  \centering
\begin{tabular}{ccccc}
  \toprule
  Column 1 & Column 2 & Column 3 & Column 4 & Column 5 \\
  \midrule
  A1 & B1 & C1 & D1 & E1 \\
  \addlinespace % Add space here
  A2 & B2 & C2 & D2 & E2 \\
  A3 & B3 & C3 & D3 & E3 \\
  \addlinespace % Add space here
  A4 & B4 & C4 & D4 & E4 \\
  \bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

\end{document}

Output

You can also adjust the amount of space added by providing an optional argument to \addlinespace. For instance, \addlinespace[2ex] would add 2 times the height of an “x” character.

For example

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{booktabs}

\begin{document}

\begin{table}
  \centering
\begin{tabular}{ccccc}
  \toprule
  Column 1 & Column 2 & Column 3 & Column 4 & Column 5 \\
  \midrule
  A1 & B1 & C1 & D1 & E1 \\
  \addlinespace[5ex] % Add space here
  A2 & B2 & C2 & D2 & E2 \\
  A3 & B3 & C3 & D3 & E3 \\
  \addlinespace % Add space here
  A4 & B4 & C4 & D4 & E4 \\
  \bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

\end{document}