Font Files
OpenType & TrueType
Deep dive into the two dominant font technologies and their differences.
TrueType Origins
Apple developed TrueType in 1991 as an alternative to Adobe's PostScript fonts. TrueType uses quadratic Bézier curves and includes powerful hinting capabilities for screen rendering.
OpenType: Unification
In 1996, Microsoft and Adobe announced OpenType, combining TrueType's container format with support for both TrueType (glyf) and PostScript (CFF) outlines. OpenType added advanced typographic features like ligatures and stylistic sets.
Key Differences
| Aspect | TrueType (.ttf) | OpenType CFF (.otf) |
|---|---|---|
| Curves | Quadratic Bézier | Cubic Bézier |
| Hinting | Bytecode instructions | PostScript hints |
| File size | Often larger | Often smaller |
| Best for | Screen, Windows | Print, macOS |