Behind the type — Font Technology
What Are Stylistic Alternates in Fonts?
Stylistic alternates let you replace a standard character with another design while keeping the text editable. This guide explains the salt feature, how it differs from stylistic sets and contextual alternates, and how to use alternate glyphs in Adobe apps, Figma and CSS.
What Are Contextual Alternates in Fonts?
Contextual alternates let an OpenType font change letterforms automatically according to the surrounding characters. Here is what they do, why they matter and how to use them.
Modern Font Formats Explained: OTF, TTF, WOFF2, SVG and Variable Fonts
Use OTF or TTF for desktop design and WOFF2 for the web. A guide to what else modern fonts hold: variable axes, OpenType-SVG, COLR and colour bitmaps.
Variable Fonts vs Static Fonts: Which Should You Use?
Variable font adoption has reached roughly 41% of websites in 2025 — but only 0.8% of new font licences purchased are variable. Here's when the format genuinely earns its place, and when a static or bespoke typeface still wins.
What Files Should a Custom Typeface Include?
Learn which custom font files you need, including OTF, TTF, WOFF and WOFF2, plus what to agree about source files and delivery.
OpenType SVG Fonts: Software Support, Installation and Use
Learn which programs support OpenType SVG fonts, how to install and use them on Mac or Windows, and why colour font files are larger than normal.
OpenType SVG vs Regular Fonts in Photoshop
What is an OpenType SVG colour font? See how it differs from regular OpenType, how it works in Photoshop and when designers should use one.
The Ted Lasso Font: How Roy Kent Inspired a Handmade Typeface
Choose Love is a bold display typeface rolled out by hand with an ink brayer, with at least three alternates for every letter and a set of ligatures in their own font. It exists because of a grumpy fictional footballer.