Leading
Leading is the vertical distance between lines of type, commonly measured from one baseline to the next.
Appropriate leading supports readability and vertical rhythm. The suitable value depends on type size, typeface, line length and the purpose of the text.
Controlling vertical distance between lines
Appropriate leading supports readability and vertical rhythm. The suitable value depends on type size, typeface, line length and the purpose of the text. In practical terms, Leading 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.
Setting comfortable line-height for body text
A 16px paragraph might use a 24px line-height so consecutive lines have enough vertical separation for comfortable reading.
Where line spacing affects reading flow
You do not need to memorize the term in isolation. It becomes useful when you can recognize it in the tool, browser, file or conversation where the concept is doing real work.
Leading is not paragraph spacing
Leading is the vertical distance between lines of type, commonly measured from one baseline to the next. By contrast, Typography is the selection, arrangement and styling of type to communicate written content effectively. The two can appear in the same project, but they describe different parts of the work and should not be used as interchangeable labels.
The mistake: choosing line-height independently of measure and typeface
The common mistake is to use Leading as if it also meant Typography. That blurs two separate decisions and usually sends troubleshooting in the wrong direction. A better test is practical: Judge leading together with font size, typeface and line length; there is no universal ideal value.
Why vertical rhythm keeps text readable
In day-to-day work, Leading matters when vertical spacing between lines affects readability. 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.
A 16px paragraph might use a 24px line-height so consecutive lines have enough vertical separation for comfortable reading. 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.
Related terms worth learning next
Sources and further reading
Use these references when you need documentation-level detail, specifications or product-specific behavior beyond the plain-English explanation above.