What Are The Top 3 Uses Of Variable Fonts

Using variable fonts on your website can increase the legibility of your content while saving you space and optimizing performance. This article looks at three ways to use this type of font in your business.

Create new opportunities for the written word

Variable fonts are a new font format that encapsulates the entire family of fonts within a single file. As a result, font designers can focus on hierarchy and readability rather than size and load time.

The new format is an evolution of the OpenType font specification. The format uses data tables and other information from traditional OpenType fonts. It designates a default instance, a “smart” instance with specific variations, and a glyph table to align glyphs.

A variable font enables you to pick from various styles and even a wide range of weights in a single file. However, this format has its limitations. Nevertheless, this new format has the potential to revolutionize the way the written word is consumed.

While it’s true that variable fonts may be an assortment, it’s a good bet that the technology is still being refined and will evolve as time goes on. That’s why keeping an eye on the latest developments is essential.

Increase legibility

Variable fonts can increase readability by improving accessibility. By creating a more accessible web experience, it’s easier for readers with disabilities to understand and use the text. Ultimately, variable fonts can also improve general standards of typography.

The ability to vary weights and contrast is particularly useful when designing for dark mode. Also, you can use them to make the text heavier or lighter for navigation or focus.

They’re easy to use and can adjust to a viewer’s environment. For example, if you’re designing for a radio station, you might want different announcers with different accents. You can also make the same message more immersive using several different versions of the same font.

Similarly, you can use a variable font to change the size and contrast of headings. Some type designers have even gone so far as to use 18 different instances of a single two-axis variable font.

Optimize performance

Variable fonts are a useful tool for optimizing the performance of a website. They offer a variety of advantages over traditional static fonts, such as reduced file size and more glyph variations. However, not all fonts are created equal. Using a variable font in one application may yield different benefits than using multiple fonts in another.

One of the more interesting features of a variable font is the ability to switch between multiple axes of variation. This allows a single font file to hold all of the possible styles of the font. For example, a variable font might include all the uprights, italics, and slants. The more axes of variation a variable font have, the more efficient it will be.

In addition to saving on file size, variable fonts reduce the number of HTTP requests a web page needs to make. The number of HTTP requests is a major determinant of how quickly a web page loads.

Final Words 

We hope you know the uses of variable fonts. Contemporary fonts have also been designed to be more user-friendly. Because the file size is smaller, you can use more fonts on a web page without compromising on the design. You can also save space by using smaller font sizes. For example, you can decrease the width of a dollar sign to create more words per line. While there is no official requirement for a variable font, most browsers support the technology. These new capabilities are especially beneficial in the context of responsive design.