Fonts are sets of graphical and typographic characters, including letters, numbers, symbols, and other glyphs, that share a consistent design style. They are used to display text on digital and printed media. Fonts determine the appearance and style of the text, such as its shape, size, weight, and spacing.Fonts can be broadly categorized into two main types:
Serif Fonts: Serif fonts have small lines or decorative strokes (serifs) at the ends of characters. These fonts are often seen as more traditional, formal, and easy to read in printed materials. Examples include Times New Roman, Georgia, and Garamond.
Sans-Serif Fonts: Sans-serif fonts do not have serifs, making them appear cleaner and more modern. They are often used for digital displays and are considered more readable on screens. Examples include Arial, Helvetica, and Calibri.
There are also other font categories, such as monospaced (where each character takes up the same horizontal space) and script fonts (mimicking handwriting).
Hinting, also known as font hinting or font rasterization, is a technique used in digital typography to improve the rendering of fonts at small sizes or low resolutions, particularly on computer screens. When a font is displayed at a small size, the details of its design may not be accurately represented due to limited pixel resolution. Hinting provides additional instructions to the rendering engine on how to adjust the font outlines to align with the pixel grid, improving the legibility and appearance of the characters at smaller sizes.
These hints include information about how to adjust the placement and shape of the font's elements (such as stems, curves, and junctions) to align them with the pixel grid, ensuring that characters are rendered clearly and crisply on screen. Without hinting, fonts might appear blurry or difficult to read, especially at smaller font sizes.
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