printtypesetting

Print typesetting is the process of arranging and selecting type for printing. It encompasses the planning, composition, spacing, and alignment of characters to convey text and optimize readability on a printed page. Traditionally, typesetting involved physical type made of metal or wood, arranged in a composing stick, then set into a galley and locked in a chase for printing on a press. The term also covers the broader workflow of preparing text for reproduction, including hyphenation, justification, and pagination decisions.

Historically, movable type was introduced in Europe in the 15th century by Gutenberg. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, hot metal typesetting machines, such as Linotype and Monotype, automated much of the casting and setting process, enabling faster production of newspapers and books. By the mid-20th century phototypesetting replaced metal type, allowing beams or photographic films to be used to create page imagery. From the 1980s onward, digital typesetting and desktop publishing revolutionized the field, using computer software to compose pages, manage fonts, and export digital proofs.

Modern print typesetting relies on digital fonts (OpenType, TrueType) and page-layout programs that control typographic features like kerning, ligatures, hyphenation, leading, tracking, and justification. Designers consider type hierarchy, readability, and accessibility, applying typographic conventions to different media and markets. Despite automation, typesetting remains a craft requiring attention to typography, spacing, and print constraints to achieve consistent, legible results.