printf "%-20s%-20s%-20s\n" "col1" "col2" "col3" <===> sample one liner example to print multiple columns with a tab using printf. here you can give a tab length as per your requirement
##col1 col2 col3
echo "1\n2\n3\n" <===> 1\n2\n3\n
printf "1\n2\n3\n" <===>
1
2
3
