How to embed fonts in HTML?

html

responsive-design

font-embedding

best-practices

byAnton Shumikhin·Dec 24, 2024

You can embed fonts in HTML by deploying the @font-face rule in your CSS. Make sure your font is available in formats like .woff2 or .woff that modern browsers support, and have a .ttf fallback for older ones. A glimpse at the syntax is given below:

@font-face {
  font-family: 'MyFont'; //Feel free to change the name, it doesn't bite 😄
  src: url('MyFont.woff2') format('woff2'), 
       url('MyFont.woff') format('woff'), 
       url('MyFont.ttf') format('truetype');
}
body { font-family: 'MyFont', sans-serif; } //Sans-serif, providing the safety net!

This piece of code first declares MyFont as a font family and then applies it to the body, but if a catastrophe strikes, it falls back to sans-serif.

All about @font-face rule

To dance with @font-face smoothly, understanding font licensing is paramount. Always check that the font you're using is legal for usage in web embedding. Websites like WebFonts.info offer a holistic list of embeddable fonts nicely paired with their license details, more like a menu in a font restaurant!

Once you've done your due diligence with font licensing, save your code from breaking by using Bulletproof @font-face syntax by Paul Irish. It handle browser quirks in a breeze and offers a consistent display across diverse platforms like a pro quarterback!

Handy font source tools to turn to

Simplify the whole deal of complex font embedding using tools like Font Squirrel's @font-face Generator. Not only does it convert your fonts into browser-friendly formats, but it also generates the necessary CSS and demo HTML pages, taking the heavy load off your shoulders!

For font adventurers, Google Web Fonts provides a large harvest of fonts under an Open Source license, and the best part is they can be easily integrated with a single line of code or customized via their API.

Easing into best practices and compatibility testing

Best selection of font formats

To ensure maximum compatibility, bring on board WOFF2 for the most modern and efficient compression, and leave a safety net with WOFF and TTF for the old timers out there, because everyone deserves to enjoy beautiful fonts!

Ensuring legibility and smooth sailing performance

While you're embedding a hotel of fonts, make sure they don't turn into performance hogs or mess with the legibility of your text. Keep an eye out for the font-display properties to control how the fonts are displayed.

Real time changes and compatibility tests

Nothing better than actual testing, right? Soma Design's FontFriend Bookmarklet allows you to try on various fonts in Firefox 3.6+. Want to mess around and change things on the go? FontFriend Bookmarklet is your go-to tool.