What is kerning in the context of typography?

Kerning refers specifically to the adjustment of space between individual characters in a word. This practice is essential in typography because it can significantly impact the readability and overall appearance of the text. By fine-tuning the spacing between specific pairs of letters, designers can create a more visually appealing and harmonious look, preventing awkward gaps or overlaps that might occur with standard spacing.

Understanding kerning allows for a more precise control over how text is displayed, ensuring that it is not only legible but also aesthetically pleasing. This contrasts with other choices, which relate to different aspects of typography. For instance, the style of font refers to the typeface used, overall alignment pertains to how text is positioned in relation to margins or columns, and italicization is a specific font style used for emphasis or differentiation. Each of these plays an important role in typography, but kerning specifically addresses the nuanced spacing between characters to enhance typographic design.