There is a fine line between type being too close together and too far apart. ![]() How leading is used in a block of text can affect readability. Whereas leading was once a physical, measurable value, it is now most commonly used as a concept: the visual impression of space between two lines. In CSS for example, there is no leading value, we use line-height instead. In digital typography, particularly web typography, the terms leading and line height are often used interchangeably. ![]() Leading, by contrast, is the space from the bottom of a letter on one line, to the top of a letter on the next: it is literally the line height minus the text height. Line height is all of the space from one baseline - the imaginary plane on which letters such as ‘a’, ‘x’ and ‘n’ sit - to the next. Since the advent of digital publishing, leading has frequently been confused with line-height. Lead strips were placed between lines of type to keep everything in perfect alignment. The term originated with old-style letter presses, when type was set by hand. Leading was traditionally measured in points (just like fonts). Leading - pronounced ledding - is the spacing between lines of type. How you use leading most notably comes into play for large blocks of text. The size of type, width of columns, and even background color can help you make wise leading choices. Other design elements also have an impact on how you should use leading. The leading specs you use for a logo or splash screen may be very different than the leading used for the type in a blog post. Behind font and size, it is one of the key factors to consider when you are looking at how readable type is. The more type you use, the more important leading becomes. Just as important as the letterforms themselves, is the spacing around those letters and particularly the leading used in blocks of text. Selecting fonts, sizes and colors can be a big part of how you outline your site. A key component to any website design is type.
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