Desktop publishing software allows users to create and publish page designs and various printed materials in a professional style. These tools create layouts of text and other graphic files for publishing in either print or digital formats, focusing on materials like magazines, blogs, ebooks, newspapers, and other online publications.
Desktop publishing solutions often come with a library of premade templates and easy-to-use features that require no editing from the user, so the software is ideal for everyone, from experienced to novice designers. This software can also be equipped with drag-and-drop page builders and editing and design features, making it easy to create custom and unique layouts for specific needs and use cases. These designs can then easily be exported in a variety of different formats.
Any organization that publishes print or digital content, including graphic design, advertising, and publishing companies, can benefit from desktop publishing software. Design teams can also use it in an organization to create branded marketing materials, since they also easily integrate with drawing software or photo editing software to streamline the production of publication-ready materials.
To qualify for inclusion in the Desktop Publishing category, a product must:
- Provide templates for constructing layouts of publishable materials (e.g., newspapers and flyers)
- Offer tools for refining layouts, such as detailed rulers, text wrapping, and photo layering
- Enable files to be uploaded online or printed using external printers onto ordered pages
