What is kearning in typography?

Kerning in typography refers specifically to the adjustment of spacing between individual letters to achieve visually appealing and readable text. This process enhances the overall appearance of written content by ensuring that the spacing between letters is neither too tight nor too loose, creating a more harmonious flow.

Kerning is particularly important for certain letter combinations that may appear awkward if spaced inconsistently, such as 'A' and 'V' or 'T' and 'o'. The careful adjustment of these spaces can significantly affect the legibility and aesthetics of the text, making it critical in professional typography.

The other choices touch on various aspects of typography but do not accurately describe kerning. Designing letters pertains to typeface creation, alignment involves how text is arranged on a page, and varying font weights relate to the thickness of the characters themselves, all of which are different aspects of typography unrelated to the precise spacing adjustments that kerning entails.