Kerning

Kerning corrects pair-specific spacing so letters appear visually balanced. It is different from tracking, which changes spacing across a range of characters. In practical terms, Kerning belongs to the visual-production layer. Knowing that layer is important because it tells you what the term can change, what it cannot change, and where to look when something behaves unexpectedly.

The common mistake is to use Kerning as if it also meant Tracking. That blurs two separate decisions and usually sends troubleshooting in the wrong direction. A better test is practical: Kerning adjusts particular pairs; do not use tracking when only one awkward pair needs correction.

In day-to-day work, Kerning matters when the spacing between one specific pair of letters looks uneven. The practical value is not the vocabulary itself; it is being able to identify the right control, file, setting or decision when the concept becomes relevant.

The pair “AV” often needs custom pair spacing because the diagonal letterforms can otherwise appear too far apart. That example is useful because it turns the definition into something you can recognize, test and discuss with other people working on the same project.

Use these references when you need documentation-level detail, specifications or product-specific behavior beyond the plain-English explanation above.