An individual may write braille by hand either using a slate and stylus to push dots out from the back of the paper working from right to left or using a mechanical device called a brailler. A person may also use an embosser to reproduce an electronic braille file. These methods all produce embossed braille on hardcopy paper.

Where the technology is available, it is often better to represent lines in diagrams with tactile graphics.

A person may read an electronic braille file by using a refreshable braille display attached to his/her computer. This employs pins which raise and lower to form the braille characters.

Originally developed to represent the French language, braille has been adapted for English and many other languages.

Braille is used to represent all subject matter, including literature, mathematics, science and technology. Louis Braille developed the system which is used worldwide today for representing music.

Unified English Braille (UEB) is a system of English braille which represents all subjects except music.

Use the horizontal line mode indicator to open any horizontal line.

The purpose of UEB is to allow the reader to understand without ambiguity what symbols are being expressed by a given braille text.

Within horizontal line mode, use the appropriate horizontal line segments, corners and/or crossings to represent the line.

The primary transcribing rule is to produce braille that, when read, yields exactly the original print text (apart from purely ornamental aspects).