Printing is an industrial process for reproducing copies of texts and images, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is an important part of publishing.
Printing using a printing press dates back to the 15th century in Europe, although the technique is believed to have been developed and used earlier in China. An example is the Diamond Sutra of AD 868, a Buddhist scripture, which is the earliest known dated work of block printing. For a fuller history of printing, see the printing press article.
A document can also be printed by a laser printer or other computer printer. In recent years, computer printing and industrial printing processes have converged, leading to the development of digital printing.
The artistic process of printmaking is also known as printing, as is photographic printing.
