Variable font

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The "design space" of the variable font Recursive Sans & Mono, illustrated as the nets of two cubes Recursive font cube.png
The "design space" of the variable font Recursive Sans & Mono, illustrated as the nets of two cubes

A variable font (VF) is a font file that is able to store a continuous range of design variants. An entire typeface (font family) can be stored in such a file, with an infinite number of fonts available to be sampled. [2]

Contents

The variable font technology originated in Apple's TrueType GX font variations. The technology was adapted to OpenType as OpenType variable fonts (OTVF) in version 1.8 of the OpenType specification. [3] [4] [5] The technology was announced by Adobe, Apple, Google, and Microsoft in September 2016. Making such a feature standardized in OpenType paved the way for support in many software platforms. [3] [6] [7] [8]

Variable fonts should not be confused with variable-width fonts. A variable font may be either variable-width or fixed-width. [9]

Technology

OpenType variable fonts are an adaptation of Apple's TrueType GX font variations to OpenType, with integration into key aspects of the OpenType format including OpenType Layout tables and both TrueType and CFF glyph outline formats. It also surpasses TrueType GX by providing better interoperability, both between different fonts, and between variable fonts and font-formatting specifications such as those found in Cascading Style Sheets. The technology allows software to access any design instance for a continuous range of designs defined within the font. When a specific design instance has been selected, the glyph outlines or other data values for that design instance are computed as font data is being processed during text layout and rasterization.

The technology uses interpolation and extrapolation mechanisms that have been supported in font-development tools and used by font designers for many years. [10] In that paradigm, the font designer creates a variable design, but then chooses specific instances to generate as static, non-variable fonts that get distributed to customers. With variable fonts, however, the font produced and distributed by the font designer can have built-in variability, and the interpolation mechanisms can now be built into operating systems and Web browsers or other applications, with specific design instances selected at time of use.

One of the key benefits of the technology is that it can significantly reduce the combined size of font data whenever multiple styles are in use. On the Web, this may allow a site to use more font styles while at the same time reducing page load times. A further benefit is that it gives access to a continuous range of style variations, which can provide benefits for responsive design.

The technology has been compared to Adobe's multiple master fonts (MM fonts) technology, also from the 1990s, which used on-the-fly generation of font designs from master files by interpolation and extrapolation. [11] [12] [13] [14] Multiple master fonts, however, required the user to generate a specific "instance" of the font for particular variation-axis values before it could be used. This is not required for OpenType variable fonts, however: named or arbitrary design instances can be selected and used on demand.

Adoption

Operating systems

In Windows 10, version 1709 (or known as "Windows 10 Fall Creators Update") released in 2017, official support for variable fonts is provided by Microsoft, [15] along with the first variable font in Windows: the "Bahnschrift" font, which is a digitisation of DIN 1451. [16] [17] However, support for CFF2 fonts using OpenType outlines had caused issues with Windows text rendering engine, sometimes making UI text blank out; this was later fixed in 2023 with the KB5032278 update. [18]

Android started to provide variable font support for mobile app developers in Android Oreo [19] or API level 26. [20]

Apple provided variable font support in its operating system since macOS 10.5/iOS 3.2, [21] but usage in Safari through WebKit only comes in macOS 10.13/iOS 11 with Safari 11. [22] [23]

FreeType, the font rendering program used by most Unix-like systems including Linux, received variable font support in May 2017 (FreeType 2.8). [24]

Editors

Adobe Creative Cloud 2018 version, released 18 October 2017, includes support for variable fonts in Photoshop [25] and Illustrator [26] and includes variable concept versions of the fonts Acumin, Minion, Myriad, Source Code, Source Sans, and Source Serif.

Creative Cloud 2020 has added variable font support for InDesign. [27]

Inkscape version 1.0 has added variable font support. [28]

LibreOffice version 7.5 has added variable font support. [29]

Browsers

Variable fonts are controlled in the web browser using both existing properties for well-known options such as weight and a raw font-variation-settings control. Refer to the MDN pages of the CSS property for support history. [2]

Related Research Articles

TrueType is an outline font standard developed by Apple in the late 1980s as a competitor to Adobe's Type 1 fonts used in PostScript. It has become the most common format for fonts on the classic Mac OS, macOS, and Microsoft Windows operating systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adobe Illustrator</span> Vector graphics editor from Adobe Inc.

Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor and design software developed and marketed by Adobe. Originally designed for the Apple Macintosh, development of Adobe Illustrator began in 1985. Along with Creative Cloud, Illustrator CC was released. The latest version, Illustrator 2024, was released on October 10, 2023, and is the 28th generation in the product line. Adobe Illustrator was reviewed as the best vector graphics editing program in 2021 by hpMagazine.

OpenType is a format for scalable computer fonts. Derived from TrueType, it retains TrueType's basic structure but adds many intricate data structures for describing typographic behavior. OpenType is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

QuickDraw GX was a replacement for the QuickDraw (QD) 2D graphics engine and Printing Manager inside the classic Mac OS. Its underlying drawing platform was an object oriented, resolution-independent, retained mode system, making it much easier for programmers to perform common tasks. Additionally, GX added various curve-drawing commands that had been lacking from QD, as well as introducing TrueType as its basic font system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myriad (typeface)</span> Humanist sans-serif typeface family

Myriad is a humanist sans-serif typeface designed by Robert Slimbach and Carol Twombly for Adobe Systems. Myriad was intended as a neutral, general-purpose typeface that could fulfill a range of uses and have a form easily expandable by computer-aided design to a large range of weights and widths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skia (typeface)</span> Humanist sans-serif typeface

Skia is a humanist sans-serif typeface designed by Matthew Carter for Apple Computer in 1994. Skia is Greek for "shadow", and the letterforms take inspiration from stone-carved 1st century BC Greek writing. The typeface was the first QuickDraw GX font, and has been pre-installed in Mac operating systems since System 7.5 (1994).

A number of vector graphics editors exist for various platforms. Potential users of these editors will make a comparison of vector graphics editors based on factors such as the availability for the user's platform, the software license, the feature set, the merits of the user interface (UI) and the focus of the program. Some programs are more suitable for artistic work while others are better for technical drawings. Another important factor is the application's support of various vector and bitmap image formats for import and export.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adobe Jenson</span> Serif typeface

Adobe Jenson is an old-style serif typeface drawn for Adobe Systems by its chief type designer Robert Slimbach. Its Roman styles are based on a text face cut by Nicolas Jenson in Venice around 1470, and its italics are based on those created by Ludovico Vicentino degli Arrighi fifty years later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Multiple master fonts</span> Extension to Adobe Systems Type 1 PostScript fonts

Multiple master fonts are an extension to Adobe Systems' Type 1 PostScript fonts, now superseded by the advent of OpenType and, in particular, the introduction of OpenType Font Variations in OpenType 1.8, also called variable fonts.

Apple's Macintosh computer supports a wide variety of fonts. This support was one of the features that initially distinguished it from other systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minion (typeface)</span> Serif typeface

Minion is a serif typeface released in 1990 by Adobe Systems. Designed by Robert Slimbach, it is inspired by late Renaissance-era type and intended for body text and extended reading. Minion's name comes from the traditional naming system for type sizes, in which minion is between nonpareil and brevier, with the type body 7pt in height. As the historically rooted name indicates, Minion was designed for body text in a classic style, although slightly condensed and with large apertures to increase legibility. Slimbach described the design as having "a simplified structure and moderate proportions." The design is slightly condensed, although Slimbach has said that this was intended not for commercial reasons so much as to achieve a good balance of the size of letters relative to the ascenders and descenders.

Ascender Corporation was a digital typeface foundry and software development company in the Chicago suburb of Elk Grove Village, Illinois. It was founded in 2004 by a team of software developers, typographers, and people previously involved in developing fonts used widely in computers, inkjet printers, phones, and other digital technology devices. On December 8, 2010, Ascender Corp. was acquired by Monotype Imaging.

HarfBuzz is a software library for supporting text shaping, which is the process of converting Unicode text to glyph indices and positions. The newer version, New HarfBuzz (2012–), targets various font technologies while the first version, Old HarfBuzz (2006–2012), targeted only OpenType fonts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Web typography</span> Publishing considerations for the Web

Web typography, like typography generally, is the design of pages – their layout and typeface choices. Unlike traditional print-based typography, pages intended for display on the World Wide Web have additional technical challenges and – given its ability to change the presentation dynamically – additional opportunities. Early web page designs were very simple due to technology limitations; modern designs use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), JavaScript and other techniques to deliver the typographer's and the client's vision.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Source Sans</span> Sans-serif typeface family

Source Sans is a sans-serif typeface created by Paul D. Hunt, released by Adobe in 2012. It is the first open-source font family from Adobe, distributed under the SIL Open Font License.

Adobe Edge is a discontinued suite of web development tools that Adobe Inc. started developing in 2011. The tools enhances the capabilities of other Adobe apps, such as Dreamweaver. The first app in the suite was the eponymous Adobe Edge, released in August 2011 as a multimedia authoring tool designed to succeed the Flash platform. In September 2012, Adobe renamed the app Edge Animate, and announced Edge Reflow, Edge Code, and Edge Inspect. Also packaged with the suite are Edge Web Fonts, the PhoneGap app, and an Adobe Typekit subscription. In October 2015, Adobe announced an end to the development of the Edge family. By the end of September 2019, all Adobe Edge products were removed from the Creative Cloud offering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Google Fonts</span> Web font library

Google Fonts is a computer font and web font service owned by Google. This includes free and open source font families, an interactive web directory for browsing the library, and APIs for using the fonts via CSS and Android. Google Fonts is also used with Google Workspace software such as Docs, Sheets, Drawings and Slides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Source Han Sans</span> Open-source sans-serif CJK typeface

Source Han Sans is a sans-serif gothic typeface family created by Adobe and Google. It is also released by Google under the Noto fonts project as Noto Sans CJK. The family includes seven weights, and supports Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese and Korean. It also includes Latin, Greek and Cyrillic characters from the Source Sans family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Source Serif</span> Serif font family

Source Serif is a serif typeface created by Frank Grießhammer for Adobe Systems. It is the third open-source font family from Adobe, distributed under the SIL Open Font License.

David G. Opstad is a retired American computer scientist specializing during his career in computer typography and information processing, leading to several breakthroughs. Opstad was a contributor to Unicode 1.0, together with Joe Becker, Lee Collins, Huan-mei Liao, and Nelson Ng.

References

  1. ↑ Type, Arrow. "Recursive Sans & Mono". recursive.design. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Variable fonts guide - CSS: Cascading Style Sheets". MDN.
  3. 1 2 "Introducing OpenType Font Variations". www.microsoft.com.
  4. ↑ Phinney, Thomas (February 2017). "Variable Fonts Are the Next Generation". Communication Arts . Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  5. ↑ Phinney, Thomas (14 September 2016). "The Lesson of Color Fonts for Variable Fonts". thomasphinney.com. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  6. ↑ "CSS Fonts Module Level 4". drafts.csswg.org.
  7. ↑ Nieskens, Roel. "Variable Fonts: the Future of (Web) Type". Typographica. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  8. ↑ Hudson, John. "Introducing OpenType Variable Fonts". Medium. Tiro Typeworks. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  9. ↑ Beckwith, Kate. "Ubuntu's new variable fonts". TypeNetwork. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  10. ↑ Griscti, Jessica. "Jess Loves Interpolation". Alphabettes. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  11. ↑ Designing Multiple Master Typefaces (PDF). San José: Adobe Systems. 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 January 2005. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  12. ↑ Riggs, Tamye. "The Adobe Originals Silver Anniversary Story". Typekit blog. Adobe. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  13. ↑ "The Adobe Originals Silver Anniversary Story: Expanding the Originals". Typekit. Adobe Systems. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  14. ↑ Phinney, Thomas (18 March 2010). "Font Remix Tools (RMX) and Multiple Master Fonts in type design". Phinney. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  15. ↑ "What's new in DirectWrite - Win32 apps". learn.microsoft.com. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  16. ↑ "Introducing the Bahnschrift font". Windows Blog. Microsoft. 23 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  17. ↑ Protalinski, Emil (23 August 2017). "Microsoft releases new Windows 10 preview with shell, Edge, and input improvements". VentureBeat. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  18. ↑ "Source Han Sans CFF2 VF (or any CFF2 font) causes Windows text rendering to blank out (Windows 10 and 11) · Issue #290 · adobe-fonts/source-han-sans". GitHub. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  19. ↑ "Using Built-in Variable Font on Android - 回音的博客". echo.moe. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  20. ↑ Franks, Rebecca (2 May 2018). "Variable Fonts in Android O 🖍". Over Engineering. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  21. ↑ "Variable Fonts – Support". v-fonts.com. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  22. ↑ "CTFontDescriptorCreateCopyWithVariation". Apple Developer Documentation. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  23. ↑ Davis, Jon (22 September 2017). "New WebKit Features in Safari 11". WebKit.
  24. ↑ "FreeType 2.8 Completes OpenType Variation Fonts Support - Phoronix". www.phoronix.com.
  25. ↑ "New features summary | October 2017 release of Photoshop CC" . Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  26. ↑ "New features summary | October 2017 release of Illustrator CC" . Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  27. ↑ "What's New with InDesign 2020? | CreativePro Network". 4 November 2019.
  28. ↑ "Introducing Inkscape 1.0". inkscape.org. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  29. ↑ "LibreOffice 7.5: Release Notes". The Document Foundation's Wiki. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
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