Typography basicsA practical introduction to typographyfrom anatomy and spacing to legibility and alignmentfor designers who want to create type that reads beautifully and feels intentional.Typography isnt just about picking a pretty font. Its the craft of shaping written language into a visual experiencehow words look, breathe, and interact on a page or screen. Good typography quietly guides the reader, while poor typography shouts for attention in all the wrong ways. Every detailfrom letter spacing to line heightaffects how users read, feel, and engage. Lets unpack the essentials.Every letter has a structure, and understanding it helps you design with precision. Terms like ascender, descender, baseline, and x-height describe the invisible skeleton that keeps type coherent. The x-height, for instance, determines how big a typeface feels even at the same pointsize.Serif and sans-serif typefaces differ in tone partly because of these structures: serifs guide the eye along lines of text, while sans-serifs often feel cleaner and more modern. Knowing anatomy allows you to mix typefaces consciously rather than by vibealone.Typographic AnatomyKerning, tracking, leadingThese three terms define the rhythm and flow of text. Kerning adjusts the space between individual letters, tracking controls spacing across whole words or paragraphs, and leading (pronounced ledding) sets the space betweenlines.Think of them as the breathing room of type. Too tight, and words feel suffocating; too loose, and they drift apart like strangers at a party. Consistent, intentional spacing is one of the clearest markers of professional typographyand one of the easiest to overlook.Type alignmentLeft, right, center, or justifiedeach alignment changes how the reader experiences text. Left-aligned text feels natural for most Western readers; it mirrors how our eyes expect to move. Centered text adds elegance in small doses, like headings or invitations, but strains readability in long paragraphs.Justified text can look neat but often introduces awkward gaps between words. Theres no one right choiceonly what fits the tone and purpose of thecontent.Indents, outdents, and hanging punctuationsIndenting the first line of a paragraph subtly signals a new thought, while outdents (negative indents) can highlight lists or quotes. Hanging punctuation, where quotation marks or bullets sit outside the text block, preserves clean visual alignment.These are the small design manners that readers might never noticebut would feel their absence. They lend rhythm and grace to long-form content.Legibility and readabilityThey sound similar but mean different things. Legibility is about how clearly letters can be distinguisheda function of font design, size, and contrast. Readability is about how easy it feels to read longer passagesaffected by line length, spacing, and even the surrounding design.A beautifully legible font can still be unreadable in practice if the text is too dense or too wide. The goal isnt just to be seen but to be comfortably followed.Specialized usesTypography takes on unique forms in different contexts: interfaces, signage, packaging, books, motion graphics. In UI design, type must perform at small sizes and varying screens. In print, it must hold character at high resolutions and long durations.Display type can afford drama; body text should feel invisible. Understanding how context shapes your typographic decisions is what separates art fromnoise.Typography isnt decorationits communication shaped with care. Once you see how subtle its impact is, you start noticing type everywhere: on screens, in streets, on receipts. Every font choice tells a story. The more fluently you speak the language of type, the more precisely you can design experiences that speakback.Typography has a strange power: its both invisible and unforgettable. The best type never demands your attention, yet it defines how every word feels. A letters curve can suggest warmth or precision, while spacing can create calm or urgency. This is why typography sits at the heart of designconnecting language withemotion.So when we adjust a line height or choose between Helvetica and Garamond, were not just picking styles; were shaping how people interpret meaning. Typography is the quiet storyteller behind every interface, poster, and page. Mastering it means learning to speak softly but leave a lasting impression.Further reading &viewing The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert BringhurstWidely regarded as a typography bibleit covers type anatomy, spacing, history, meaning and practice. Just My Type: A Book About Fonts by Simon GarfieldA lively, readable exploration of how fonts shape culture, emotion and everyday designchoices. The Anatomy of Type: A Graphic Guide to 100 Typefaces by Stephen ColesHighly visual and practicala great reference for seeing how anatomy, spacing and alignment vary across real typefaces. Helvetica (2007, dir. Gary Hustwit)A design-documentary classic that shows how a single typeface (Helvetica) touches legibility, meaning, alignment and culturalhistory. Typeface (2009, dir. Justine Nagan)Looks at wood-type printing and the material roots of typographyhelpful to ground the anatomy and spacing discussions in tangibleform. Graphic design for filmmaking, prop design workshop by Annie Atkins.Learn how to start designing a collection of graphic props that can tell a directors story, as well as contributing to the genre, period, and visual aesthetic of afilm.Visuals by @oscarsunFigma Community Thanks forreading.Typography Basics was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.