backslash vs. forward slash

backslash vs. forward slash: What’s the difference?

This is a backslash: \ (so named because it leans backward). Backslashes are commonly used in computer file directory paths, such as C:\\Documents\Files. This is a forward slash: / (so named because it leans forward). In writing/grammar, they’re often simply called slashes. They’re more likely to be called forward slashes when they’re used in coding, filenames, and URLs, such as https://www.dictionary.com/browse/forward-slash.