Convert Text to Nice Columns

We offer 3 layout modes: Column-Major (Like ls): Fills top-to-bottom first, then left-to-right. Best for alphabetical lists, directories, phone books—natural reading order when items are sorted. Row-Major (Standard Table): Fills left-to-right first, then top-to-bottom. Best for data tables, comparison lists, or when row relationship matters. Balanced Grid: Automatically calculates square/near-square grid dimensions. Best for tag clouds, galleries, or when you want visual balance without caring about specific column count. Most users prefer Column-Major for readability.

3 export formats available: Plain Text: Space-aligned columns using monospace formatting. Copy-paste anywhere—terminals, email, code editors, Discord. Markdown Table: Pipe-separated table with header row and alignment markers. Perfect for GitHub README files, documentation, wikis, or Markdown editors. CSV: Comma-separated values with quoted cells. Import into Excel, Google Sheets, databases, or data analysis tools. Choose based on destination: Plain for viewing, Markdown for docs, CSV for data processing.

Dual spacing control for perfect layouts! Column Gap (0-15 spaces): Horizontal spacing between columns. 0 = touching, 2-4 = readable, 6-10 = spacious, 11-15 = very wide. Affects readability of long items. Row Spacing (0-5 lines): Vertical spacing between rows. 0 = compact, 1-2 = comfortable, 3-5 = dramatic separation. Useful for grouped data or visual emphasis. Adjust independently to create narrow-tall, wide-flat, or balanced layouts. Statistics panel shows character count impact.

Yes! Enter comma-separated header names in the Column Headers field (e.g., "Name, Price, Quantity"). Headers appear in bold at the top with automatic separator line. Works in all layout modes and export formats. In Plain Text: Headers aligned with columns, separator line below. In Markdown: Creates proper table header with alignment syntax. In CSV: First row is header row. If you enter fewer headers than columns, missing columns auto-label as 'Col 1', 'Col 2', etc. Perfect for data tables, reports, or structured lists.

4 separator styles to enhance visual clarity: None: Clean spacing only—minimal, distraction-free. Single Pipe (│): Light vertical separator—good balance of clarity and aesthetics. Double Pipe (║): Bold vertical separator—strong visual division for important tables. Extra Space: Additional spacing instead of characters—subtle separation. Separators add visual structure, especially helpful with similar-length items or when columns blend together. Most versatile: Single Pipe. Most minimal: None. Most prominent: Double Pipe.

Enable Add Numbering to automatically prefix each item with sequential numbers (1., 2., 3., etc.). Numbering applies before columnization, so each item in the final layout retains its number. Useful for: ranked lists (Top 10 items), step-by-step processes, reference lists, or when you need to cite specific items. Works with all layout modes and respects sorting—if you enable Sort A-Z, items are alphabetized THEN numbered. In batch mode, each block is numbered independently. Column width auto-adjusts to accommodate number prefixes.

Yes! Enable Batch Mode to process multiple separate lists. Separate each list with a blank line (double line break) in your input. Each list gets its own column layout with the same settings (columns, spacing, alignment, etc.). Outputs are separated by a horizontal line for clarity. Perfect for: formatting multiple product categories, processing datasets from different sources, creating report sections, or organizing grouped information. All settings (headers, numbering, separators) apply to each batch independently.

3 alignment options control how text sits within each column: Left Align: Text starts at the left, padding on right—standard for text, most readable. Center Align: Text centered with equal padding on both sides—best for short items, titles, or headers. Right Align: Text at right, padding on left—good for numbers, prices, or timestamps. Alignment applies to ALL columns uniformly. Column width is determined by longest item + gap, so shorter items get padding. Particularly useful when mixing text and numbers, or creating formal tables. Export formats preserve alignment.

Absolutely! Upload: Click Upload button to load .txt, .md, or .csv files. File content populates input area instantly—perfect for large lists. Download: Click Save button to download formatted output. File extension matches export format: .txt (Plain), .md (Markdown), .csv (CSV). All processing is 100% client-side in your browser—no server uploads, complete privacy. Great for: batch processing product catalogs, formatting data exports, creating documentation tables, or converting between formats. Upload → Configure → Download workflow is seamless.

Completely safe. All processing happens 100% client-side in your browser using JavaScript. Your lists never leave your device, aren't sent to servers, aren't logged or stored. Even uploaded files are processed locally in browser memory. You can verify by checking your browser's Network tab—no data transmission occurs. This is a privacy-first tool perfect for formatting sensitive content: customer lists, employee data, financial reports, proprietary information, or any confidential data. Use with complete confidence for any content.