A font format is a font file holding font data. Font data is the information about how letters and symbols should look and behave.
Just like a .jpg file that holds an image or a .mp3 file that holds music, a font file holds font data.
This section will help you understand:
Font formats and their use cases
Different types of font formats
Difference between Desktop fonts and Web fonts
Font formats available on Monotype Fonts
What is a font format?
A font format is a file containing the specifications of the font. These specifications includes the encoded visual design of characters (glyphs), typographic metrics, and optional features such as ligatures or stylistic alternates. Having these specifications enable consistent text rendering of the font when used in digital and print environments.
The main difference between various available font formats is based on their intended use. For example, desktop fonts are installed on your computer for use in applications like Word or Photoshop, while web fonts are designed for use on websites and are served to your web browsers via CSS.
Different types of font formats
Font formats can be broadly categorized into three main types based on how they store and render characters:
Bitmapped Fonts (Raster Fonts)
Stroke Fonts (Vector Fonts)
Outlined Fonts (Scalable Fonts)
Font format type | Description | Examples | Use cases |
Bitmapped Fonts (Raster Fonts) | These fonts are pixel-based and resolution-dependent. | Chicago, Fixedsys, and VGA font | Legacy systems, command-line interfaces, embedded devices. |
Stroke Fonts (Vector Fonts) | These fonts use lines and curves to define characters, often with minimal data. | Hershey fonts and CAD text fonts | Technical drawings, CAD software, vector plotting. |
Outlined Fonts (Scalable Fonts) | These fonts are a type of digital font where each character (glyph) is defined using mathematical outlines rather than fixed pixels and can be scaled to any size without losing quality. | Adobe Garamond, Helvetica Neue (Type 1), Arial, Calibri, Roboto, and Roboto Flex | Web design, desktop publishing, branding, UI/UX |
What is the difference between Desktop fonts and web fonts?
The table below illustrates the difference between a desktop font and a web font.
| Desktop fonts | Web fonts |
Purpose | Designed for use within applications on your computer, such as Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop, or other desktop software. | Designed for use on websites and are rendered by the user’s browser. |
Installation | Installed locally on the user’s computer. | Not installed on the user’s computer; instead, the font files are served from a web server and downloaded by the user’s browser when needed. |
File formats | OpenType (.otf) or TrueType (.ttf). | Web Open Font Format (WOFF) or WOFF2, which are optimized for web use. |
Licensing | Desktop font licenses allow you to install fonts on computers for use in print or static image formats. | Web font licenses allow you to embed fonts into websites. |
Implementation | Involves installing and managing fonts on a computer system so they can be used in applications like word processors, design software, and development environments. | Used with CSS @font-face rules to specify which font to use on a website. |
Use cases | Creating brochures, flyers, logos, website mock-ups, signage, and other materials. | Used for displaying text on websites, ensuring consistent typography across different devices and browsers. |
Which font file formats does Monotype Fonts support?
Monotype Fonts supports the following font formats:
File type | Font format | Full form | Description |
.otf | OTF | OpenType Font | OpenType is the most popular modern file format for fonts. OTF files can also come in a Compact Font Format (CFF) flavor. |
.ttf | TTF | TrueType Font | TrueType file format originated in 1980s. It is still broadly supported in desktop software. |
.woff | WOFF | Web Open Font Format | It is a wrapper format for TrueType and OpenType fonts. It compresses the files and is supported by all modern browsers. |
.woff2 | WOFF2 | Web Open Font Format 2 | WOFF2 is an update to the original WOFF format |
.otf | OTF with CFF outlines | OpenType Std (CFF) |
|
.otf | OTF with CFF outlines | OpenType Pro (CFF) | Pro means Professional, and may include additional character set support or additional typographic feature support. |
.ttf | OpenType with TrueType outlines | OpenType Pro (TTF) |
|
.ttf | OpenType Std (TTF) | OpenType Standard with TrueType outlines | Preferred when you need basic Latin character sets and your project is for general purpose like UI or web. For example, Arial Std. |
Suggested readings