Mastering Web Fonts in CSS
Web fonts have revolutionized the way we approach typography on the web. With the ability to use custom fonts, designers have more creative freedom than ever before. However, with great power comes great responsibility, and it’s essential to understand the implications of using web fonts on performance and user experience.
Do You Really Need Web Fonts?
Before diving into the world of web fonts, it’s crucial to consider whether you really need them. Using too many fonts can lead to slower page loads, negatively impacting user experience. A good rule of thumb is to use no more than two typefaces per document.
What Fonts Can You Use in CSS?
CSS allows you to set the font of text using the font-family property. You can specify a single font or a list of fonts, and the browser will use the first available font. If the font is not available, the browser will use a default font.
Web Safe Fonts
Web safe fonts are fonts that are guaranteed to be available on all devices and browsers. These fonts include:
- Arial (sans-serif)
- Courier New (monospace)
- Georgia (serif)
- Times New Roman (serif)
- Trebuchet MS (sans-serif)
- Verdana (sans-serif)
Using Web Fonts in CSS
To use web fonts in CSS, you can use the @font-face rule. This rule allows you to specify a font for a website that is not installed on the user’s computer. The font can be located on a remote server or locally installed.
How to Use Web Fonts from a Font Repository
Font repositories like Google Fonts offer a wide range of open-source fonts that can be used on your website. To use a font from a repository, simply select the font you want to use and copy the code snippet provided.
Handling Font Weights and Styles
Each font file has its own weight and style. To ensure proper rendering, it’s essential to load a separate font file for every weight and style you require.
Variable Fonts
Variable fonts are an evolution of the OpenType font specification that enables