Output in a table format in Java's System.out

Use System.out.format . You can set lengths of fields like this:

System.out.format("%32s%10d%16s", string1, int1, string2);

This pads string1, int1, and string2 to 32, 10, and 16 characters, respectively.

See the Javadocs for java.util.Formatter for more information on the syntax (System.out.format uses a Formatter internally).

Using j-text-utils you may print to console a table like:

And it as simple as:

TextTable tt = new TextTable(columnNames, data);                                                         
tt.printTable();   

The API also allows sorting and row numbering ...

I've created a project that can build much advanced table views. If you supposed to print the table, the width of the table going to have a limit. I have applied it in one of my own project to get a customer invoice print. Following is an example of the print view.

           PLATINUM COMPUTERS(PVT) LTD          
     NO 20/B, Main Street, Kandy, Sri Lanka.    
  Land: 812254630 Mob: 712205220 Fax: 812254639 

                CUSTOMER INVOICE                

+-----------------------+----------------------+
|INFO                   |CUSTOMER              |
+-----------------------+----------------------+
|DATE: 2015-9-8         |ModernTec Distributors|
|TIME: 10:53:AM         |MOB: +94719530398     |
|BILL NO: 12            |ADDRES: No 25, Main St|
|INVOICE NO: 458-80-108 |reet, Kandy.          |
+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                SELLING DETAILS               |
+-----------------+---------+-----+------------+
|ITEM             | PRICE($)|  QTY|       VALUE|
+-----------------+---------+-----+------------+
|Optical mouse    |   120.00|   20|     2400.00|
|Gaming keyboard  |   550.00|   30|    16500.00|
|320GB SATA HDD   |   220.00|   32|     7040.00|
|500GB SATA HDD   |   274.00|   13|     3562.00|
|1TB SATA HDD     |   437.00|   11|     4807.00|
|RE-DVD ROM       |   144.00|   29|     4176.00|
|DDR3 4GB RAM     |   143.00|   13|     1859.00|
|Blu-ray DVD      |    94.00|   28|     2632.00|
|WR-DVD           |   122.00|   34|     4148.00|
|Adapter          |   543.00|   28|    15204.00|
+-----------------+---------+-----+------------+
|               RETURNING DETAILS              |
+-----------------+---------+-----+------------+
|ITEM             | PRICE($)|  QTY|       VALUE|
+-----------------+---------+-----+------------+
|320GB SATA HDD   |   220.00|    4|      880.00|
|WR-DVD           |   122.00|    7|      854.00|
|1TB SATA HDD     |   437.00|    7|     3059.00|
|RE-DVD ROM       |   144.00|    4|      576.00|
|Gaming keyboard  |   550.00|    6|     3300.00|
|DDR3 4GB RAM     |   143.00|    7|     1001.00|
+-----------------+---------+-----+------------+
                              GROSS   59,928.00 
                       DISCOUNT(5%)    2,996.40 
                             RETURN    9,670.00 
                            PAYABLE   47,261.60 
                               CASH   20,000.00 
                             CHEQUE   15,000.00 
                    CREDIT(BALANCE)   12,261.60 






  ---------------------   --------------------- 
     CASH COLLECTOR         GOODS RECEIVED BY   

             soulution by clough.com            

This is the code for above print view and you can find the library (Wagu) in here.