Using .otf fonts on web browsers

html

responsive-design

performance

best-practices

byAlex Kataev·Aug 30, 2024

You can instantly apply .otf fonts in any web browser via CSS's @font-face rule. Here’s a quick example:

@font-face {
    font-family: 'CustomFont';  /* Say hello to your new font */
    src: url('font.otf') format('opentype'); /* OTF us, please */
}

body {
    font-family: 'CustomFont', fallback-font; /* Assign it to body or whatever you wish */
}

Replace 'font.otf' with the path to your font file and 'CustomFont' with your chosen font name. Add this font-family rule to elements that should display the .otf font.

To broaden your compatible audience, you may want to convert the .otf fonts to WOFF or TTF formats, since not all browsers support OTF.

Compatibility scope: Font formats and browser support

Extending support with WOFF and TTF

Although .otf is a great format, achieving wide web compatibility commonly requires WOFF (Web Open Font Format) or TTF (TrueType Font). Convert .otf to these using online tools like Transfonter.

Backward compatibility with older browsers

Some internet explorers (pun intended 😄) still hang onto IE9. Including an EOT (Embedded OpenType) format alongside your .otf, woff, and ttf fonts ensure you're not leaving anyone out. Caniuse.com is a handy resource for checking browser compatibility.

@font-face {
    font-family: 'CustomFont';
    src: url('fontname.eot'); /* For the love of IE9 */
    src: url('fontname.eot?#iefix') format('embedded-opentype'), /* Salute to IE6-IE8 */
         url('fontname.woff') format('woff'), /* Hi-5 to Modern Browsers */
         url('fontname.ttf') format('truetype'), /* A wave to our Safari, Android, iOS buddies! */
         url('fontname.svg#svgCustomFont') format('svg'); /* Respect for the iOS elders... */
}

Considering performance

Keep an eye on your font performance. A multitude of font weights and styles can decrease your site's speed—like a snail on a braille book. Consider implementing variable fonts to turbo-boost your site.

Stay updated

Browser updates and changes in font support are as unpredictable as weather forecasts. Always test your font display across various browsers and devices to ensure your webpage looks consistent.

Completing the process: Styling, weight, and additional insights

Incorporating font variations

font-style and font-weight in @font-face enable handling different font variations. This offers typographic nuances without needing separate font files for each.

@font-face {
    font-family: 'CustomFont';
    src: url('fontname-regular.ttf') format('truetype');
    font-weight: normal;
    font-style: normal;
}

@font-face {
    font-family: 'CustomFont';
    src: url('fontname-bold.ttf') format('truetype');
    font-weight: bold;
    font-style: normal;
}

Exploring fonts galore

Check out the Google Font Directory for a library of inspiration, or learn from typography guides on platforms like Smashing Magazine. Delve into resources on blog.fontspring.com or Wikipedia for more in-depth understanding.

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