Alignment means "along a straight edge line". In computing, you can have "left alignment" or "right alignment" (you can also have "center alignment").
As an example, the edges of this box (made with a table) would be a straight line in text editing on a computer. The buttons above can make it be:
Left align
(This website does not have a function to show right alignment.)
OR
Center Alignment, like this
In "left" or "right" alignment, computers use the straight line along the side as the margin, as defined by the web creator or program user. For example, in MS Word, you can set your right and left margins so wide that your text *could* only look like it is in the center, but not center aligned; it would still be left aligned.
Indentation
Indentation has been used in books for centuries. The first word of a new paragraph is "indented", or "moved over" so many spaces to indicate 'begin new paragraph'. In book typesetting, the standard indent has typically been five (5) spaces.
In computing, the standard five (5) spaces is still typically the rule. For example, term papers, book reports, essays, and other homework would use the 5-space indent on each new paragraph.
Personal writing always uses indentation, though instead of counting "spaces", a writer should learn to judge the appropriate spaces. Many grammar age school students are taught to "count letters" in the line above to judge how far to indent when writing long-hand.
Business and personal letters have traditionally relied on the 5-space indent rule. However, in the last 15 years some businesses have used just the "left align" on all new paragraphs. HOWEVER, many people complain and think it is much easier to read a letter that uses the 5-space indentation rule.
Websites
The internet gave webmakers the ability to use artistic and interpretive presentation. Different webmasters can make their pages without attention to any grammar rules. So, web users may see pages that:
To learn more about alignment, open MS Word and experiment with the left, right, and center alignment.
Notice how the alignment works when you change the margin settings.
Notice that in MS Word, a "tab" is set to a inch-width that equals "5 spaces".
In all cases, left align is preferred for most uses. Center align is typically reserved to set off something, such as a Title or Sub-Title. And, right-align is rarely used, unless a project includes (for example) a photo/picture/graphic on the left side with typing on the right.
Indentation= selected area Alignment= first line of a paragraph
Indentation= selected area Alignment= first line of a paragraph
Text alignment is a blanket format applied to a specific selection of text in relation to which margin the text is flush with (center, right, left, justified) Indentation is applied to a selection of text after alignment. It is the space between the left margin and the first letter of each line. It may be applied to the first line in a paragraph (standard indent) or to a works cited page to separate entries where the first line is not indented and the rest are (hanging indent).
An indentation of the shoreline is a cove or bay.
The base word of "indentation" is "indent".
The puppy's bite left a tiny indentation in my arm.
The compiler does not pay any attention whatsoever to indentation in C and C++.
There are four common types of indentation: Block indentation, where text is indented to separate it from the surrounding content. Hanging indentation, where the first line of a paragraph is not indented, but subsequent lines are. First-line indentation, where only the first line of a paragraph is indented. Left and right indentation, where both the left and right margins of a paragraph are indented.
To position the insertion point at a specific location and alignment in a document, you can use the mouse to click directly where you want to place the cursor. Additionally, keyboard shortcuts like the arrow keys allow for precise navigation. In word processors, the ruler and alignment tools help set margins and indentation for proper alignment of text. Using these features ensures accurate placement of the insertion point for editing and formatting purposes.
In computer programming languages, indentation formats program source code to improve readability. Programming languages make use of indentation to define program structure . Programmers use indentation to understand the structure of their programs to human readers.
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