Formats

Web Open Font Format (.woff & .woff2)

  • WOFF and WOFF2 are modern, web-optimized font formats designed for efficient delivery of fonts in web browsers.

  • WOFF (Web Open Font Format) :

    • Developed by: Mozilla, Microsoft, and Opera (2010).

    • Purpose: Compress existing font formats (TTF/OTF) for faster web loading.

    • Features:

      • Contains metadata (license, creator info).

      • Uses ZIP-like compression (smaller than raw TTF/OTF).

      • Supported by all modern browsers.

    • File Extension: .woff

  • WOFF2 (Web Open Font Format 2.0) :

    • Released in: 2014 (improved compression).

    • Purpose: Even smaller file sizes than WOFF (~30% better compression).

    • Features:

      • Uses Brotli compression (more efficient than ZIP).

      • Supports subsetting (removing unused glyphs).

      • Ideal for mobile/web performance.

    • File Extension: .woff2

OpenType (.otf)

  • .otf (OpenType Font) is a modern container that can hold:

    • PostScript outlines (.CFF, Compact Font Format), or

    • TrueType outlines (quadratic BĂ©zier).

  • If an .otf  file uses PostScript curves, it’s often called an “OpenType-PostScript” font.

  • OpenType unifies both Apple and Microsoft platforms, supporting Unicode, kerning, hinting, and advanced layout features.

  • .otf or .ttf :

    • .otf

      • Quality

      • High-quality print or UI with rich typographic control (e.g., professional layout tools, high-res UIs).

    • .ttf

      • Compatibility.

      • Games, apps, or UIs where size and compatibility  matter more than advanced typography.

TrueType (.ttf)

  • An outline font format developed by Apple in the late 1980s.

  • Glyph shapes are described by quadratic BĂ©zier curves , allowing smooth scaling to any size.

  • TrueType fonts include tables for metrics (advance width, bearings), kerning pairs, and optional hinting instructions to improve legibility at small sizes.

Font (.fnt)

  • Unlike vector fonts (e.g., .ttf  or .otf ), .fnt  files store fonts as pre-rendered pixel images for specific sizes.

  • Each character is a small bitmap, making them fast to render but non-scalable.

  • A .fnt  file is often paired with a texture (e.g., .png  or .dds ) containing the actual glyph images.

  • Common uses :

    • Early computer systems (e.g., DOS, Windows 3.x).

    • Video games (for retro-style or performance-critical rendering).

    • Embedded systems where simplicity is prioritized.

PostScript

  • A font format using cubic BĂ©zier curves to define glyph shapes.

  • Developed in the 1980s for high-quality printing.

  • Used in Type 1 fonts, typically consisting of:

    • A .pfb  (Printer Font Binary) file with the glyph data.

    • A .afm  (Adobe Font Metrics) file with character widths and kerning.

  • Primarily used in desktop publishing and professional print workflows.