Leftjustify

Left-justify is a text alignment method that aligns the left edge of text with a fixed margin or column, producing a straight left margin and a ragged right edge. It is a standard option in word processors, typesetting systems, and programming languages. Left-justified text is common for paragraphs in many languages; it contrasts with centered, right-aligned, and fully justified text.

In typography, left justification favors consistent word spacing and natural line breaks; it tends to reduce hyphenation and is comfortable to read in continuous prose. It may leave a uneven right margin, which some readers find less formal or elegant. Left justification is often the default in many writing contexts and is especially prevalent in plain-text environments.

In computing, left-justification typically means padding a string on the right with spaces to a fixed width. Many languages provide built-in support for this, such as Python's ljust, C's printf with %-width, and SQL's LPAD. In web design, CSS text-align: left reflects the traditional behavior and is the default alignment for most languages.

Left justification is common in programming and data presentation because it preserves alignment for vertical lists and improves scanning in monospaced environments. It is also used in plain-text emails, logs, and other formats where fixed-width formatting is important.