Column header alignment

Question

What is the best practice to have a column header alignment, should it be left or center aligned? On click of the column header the columns can be also sorted. Numeric values will be right aligned by default.

Answer 1

If it's a desktop application, go with what the operating system's UX guidelines tells. In Windows that would be to align the header in the same way as the data in that column. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa511485.aspx

Answer 2

Sun Microsystem's Java Guidelines recommend center aligned column headers unless the header is very short.

Center titles in the column headers of tables, except brief titles of wide text columns that are mostly blank. Center or left-justify brief titles.

It seems to be the way I usually see tables laid out in newspapers as well.