The complete guide to HTML Fonts (or Web Fonts)

Sep 29, 2022
HTML fonts, featured image, illustration.

If you're looking for one aspect essential to your website's style and appearance then it could be the typeface. A good typeface are a means to communicate character, making longer text sections more readable, and establish your name on the minds of your visitors.

Where can you purchase Web fonts? Which fonts work with HTML and also which fonts are "web secure" and can be used on any website? The list of fonts we'll look at in this piece.

Let's begin!

HTML Fonts What is Web Fonts?

Fonts have a long history, but fonts, as they are used today became popular with the rise of computers and the internet. Digital fonts required special care for rendering on screen. As different screen sizes and devices came into play the situation only became more complex.

Google Fonts homepage showing the most popular web fonts
Google Fonts are a collection of trendy web fonts

When it comes to digital fonts, there are different kinds. Certain fonts are designed primarily for print and graphic design. They are usually large and are not appropriate for use on websites. However, they're perfect to create graphics. Additionally, there are "web secure" fonts that are available on most computers.

There are some aspects that differentiate web fonts from traditional desktop font. One is that they can't be used using programs on your personal computer. Instead, they have to be downloaded to a server and used on the internet.

Web fonts don't reside on the devices of your visitors. There are specific ways to present them in a manner that everyone who comes to your website can see the fonts.

It is possible to download the fonts as normal and upload them onto your server. Alternatively, you can utilize the web-based font hosting service to put the fonts onto your site without the need for a download.

What fonts are you able to Use to create HTML?

Certain fonts aren't allowed to be utilized on web pages. However, what fonts are able to be added to your HTML webpage?

You are able to utilize any font you want for your website to show. The only thing you have to do is download the font to ensure that it works. After that, it'll be displayed on your website.

Scribble font example
The Scribble font won't function well for web pages.

Although you technically have the ability to use any font on your site, it's not always the ideal choice. You should look for fonts specifically designed for the web and not those specifically designed for print and graphic design. A few fonts are too that they are stylized or designed for massive font sizes that they aren't capable of rendering correctly on your website. When you use a font for web it's not a problem.

There are licensing concerns to be aware of when you use desktop fonts on your site (or using web fonts in printing). When you are using the same font in another medium other than the one the source you purchased it from may create a legal issue. Be sure to check your license before you purchase the font.

There are specific hosts that permit users to make a single call in the HTML to show their fonts on your website , using either paying or free plans.

  • TTF
  • OTF
  • WOFF/WOFF2
  • SVG
  • EOT

Once you've got these font file types that can be used to then apply it across your site , and then style it by using HTML and CSS.

Additionally, there are internet safe fonts, that are generally compatible across diverse browsers and applications.

What are web safe Fonts?

Arial font example
Arial is an incredibly popular internet safe font

If your primary concern is maximizing performance and absolutely making sure your site shows fonts in a correct method, Web safe fonts can aid those.

Here's a list of web-safe fonts which are generally okay to make use of.

  • Arial
  • Brush Script MT
  • Comic Sans
  • Courier New
  • Garamond
  • Georgia
  • Helvetica
  • Impact
  • Lucida Console
  • Palatino
  • Tahoma
  • Times New Roman
  • Trebuchet MS
  • Verdana

Out of all, Arial, Times New Roman, Helvetica, and Courier New are the safest. While they're considered to be safe for use on the web However, other fonts don't work on certain operating systems.

If you're not running something such as a government website or even a basic website for information, it's appropriate to not compromise your brand by not using the majority of fonts. Fonts for websites that are web safe are usable, however they're common and frequently employed.

It's better to select an attractiveand distinctive collection of fonts that you could use on your website, especially since there's a solution to the problem of fonts on websites failing to load with Fonts that fallback.

A Note about Font Stacks

Font stacks, sometimes known as fallback fonts are the primary motive behind using the most imaginative and striking web fonts.

Because of the Fallback Fonts that are available, it is easy to download a safe web font in case something goes off. It is done by choosing a font the user has installed, according to type family:

  • Serif fonts are defined using small strokes that attach to the ends of lines for letters. They are thought to be elegant and are easily read.
  • Sans Serif fonts are made in the same method to serif fonts but they lack strokes. They're more simple and accessible.
  • Fonts that are monospace are equally spaced between every letter. They have their own distinctive appearance.
  • Cursive fonts (or Script fonts) depict formal, handwritten letters. They are not very legible and can be used more effectively for headings, or as graphic designs.
  • Fantasy fonts (or Decorative fonts) are highly stylized, and like cursive fonts, aren't suitable to be used as body text.

Make sure to remember that font stacks are is the meaning of "stack"; it is feasible to incorporate multiple fallback fonts in sequence. Be sure to include a safe web font towards the bottom of your stack. In this way, there's an opportunity to market your company's image employing the same font in case your primary one doesn't work.

How to Add Fonts With HTML

If you'd like to incorporate online fonts to your site, you have a few choices.

To WordPress users, the simplest method to incorporate fonts into your website is to use an application. The two most popular ones are Google's Simple Fonts and Use Any Font. This one makes it easier of installing Google Fonts to your website, while UAF permits you to download fonts for your site directly.

If you don't have WordPress or don't want to depend on a plug-in, the process may require manual tweaking.

Luckily, this is very straightforward if you've got a properly configured web font. Simply upload the files onto your server, and use the @font-face rule in the stylesheet that defines it. Example:

 @font-face font-family: FontName; src: url(FontLocationOnServer); 

After that, you can utilize the Font-family tag to identify the font in any place you wish it to appear within an HTML document.

CSS and HTML for styling fonts. CSS

Note: If you worked on earlier HTML versions, you may remember using the "font>" tag. The tag is no longer used and should not be utilized. Instead, you could create a styled text using CSS or the HTML style element.

The initial step is to modify the font by applying the colors. You can use an RGB code, a color name such as "red," an RGB code, or a HEX value. It is done by setting the property of color. property like so:

P color: blue

or as an independent HTML Style element

Text.

Background color is exactly identical to the background color. It makes use of the color attribute background.

"p" background-color blue;

The next step will be next is the size of font. It can be either in percent, pixels, or the Ems (which can be useful to create responsive websites).

Font-size: 16px;

Or:

Text.
font size CSS
Setting the font size using CSS

Additionally, there is font style and the weight. Or italics and bold. If you wish to utilize text that is slanted, the use of"italic" tag "italic" tag.

.italic Italic font style;and for bold: Bold .bold Bold font weight: bold.
font style CSS
Set the font's style with CSS.

In addition, you could utilize HTML tags instead of HTML. For italics, you can make use of:

in a way that conveys an emphasis or mention of:

for a text that is created to stand out visually.

If you want to be bold, try:

(b>)

Examples:

Bold Text Bold Text

or

It holds particular significance.

Where can I find HTML Fonts?

If you're considering using an outside font hosting service or download them, it is crucial to be aware of the best places for downloading fonts. There are a lot of distributors in the market, however there are a few that are considered as trustworthy source for fonts. The ones we would recommend.

  • Google Fonts is one of the best websites to search for fonts. Why? They are easy to integrate in your website without having to download them. The selection is vast and beautiful Most important of all the fact that they're free. Google servers are always quick, so you can count on them to supply these fonts in as little an amount of time as feasible.
google fonts
Google Fonts
  • Adobe Fonts offers hundreds of fonts for all Creative Cloud subscriptions. In addition to other options (that don't rely on open-source fonts like Google Fonts or Google Fonts for instance), you often need to be concerned with licensing. Fonts that are licensed are able to be used in any kind of project, personal or commercial.
  • Fonts.com has a variety of fonts that can be used on both the desktop and for internet use. They'll provide you with the code needed to put it onto your site. There are a variety of licenses available that can be a bit confusing to comprehend. There is the option of paying using a one-time cost or pay-as-you-go process.
  • TypeNetwork offers high-quality fonts for projects of serious importance and provides various licensing choices. Find fonts for desktops, apps, websites, or ePub. Web fonts can also be downloaded as an alternative: Self-hosted or hosted.
  • Before Google Fonts ever existed, Font Squirrel was the place to find free, commercially-licensed fonts for use in any project. There's a wide selection and, unfortunately, there's an option to host fonts. It's necessary to download the fonts, and then upload them on your website manually. There aren't all fonts that can be designed for web use However, you may try the Webfont Generator.

The top 10 HTML Fonts

There's a wide variety of web fonts to choose from, but where to start? These are the ten most basic HTML fonts that appear great on any website. Each of them is secured on the internet and are compatible with all types of devices. They also work well as backup fonts.

1. Arial

Arial font
An example from the Arial font.

Arial is probably the most popular among the fonts. It's not necessarily the prettiest , but it's very simple and effective across a variety of situations.

2. Times New Roman

Times New Roman is also one of the most widely used fonts. It's the best choice for an older-style website. The serif fonts aren't particularly exciting, but it's non-detracting neither.

3. Palatino

palantino
A sample for Palantino font. Palantino font.

Palatino may be familiar  because it's a common font used to print books. Today, it's a sophisticated digital typeface that is available by default on a wide range of devices.

4. Verdana

Verdana is renowned for being easy to read and it continues to look fantastic even at large sizes. It's an excellent Arial alternative.

5. Courier New

courier new
A sample that uses Courier New font. Courier New font.

Reminiscent of old typewriter text, Courier New is a great monospaced design for sites with a traditional and readable style.

6. Calibri

calibri
The Calibri font is an excellent example. font.

Calibri is a standard beautiful sans serif font that comes as an integral part of applications like Microsoft Office. However, it's an exclusive font, which means it's generally exclusively compatible with Windows operating systems.

7. Georgia

georgia
An example of the Georgia font.

This font, which is a serif with round design was an inspiration for the web-safe font Garamond. If you're seeking a more formal style however not as formal like Times New Roman, it's the perfect option.

8. Garamond

garamond
A small sample for Garamond font. Garamond font.

As Palatino and Palatino, Garamond is also one of the fonts that has been used for decades in book printing. Even though it has been updated to the latest operating systems, Garamond seems to look somewhat outdated.

9. Didot

didot
An example of Didot font. Didot font.

The tiny space between the serif font letters provides a distinctive style and feel. You'll find it across the majority of Apple gadgets.

10. Tahoma

tahoma
A sample of the Tahoma font.

Its simple design is the default typeface for older version of Windows OS. Its bolder appearance makes the font stand out without creating any disorientation.

Summary

It's not necessary to remain with the same dull, reliable web fonts have been circulating on the web for decades. With fallback fonts, you can go with whatever font you want and even set a fallback to be used in the event that the font isn't loading.

If you're using these HTML fonts on your website and in your email messages, or your logo, be sure you do lots of tests in order to make sure that your website is accessible and that the fonts blend with the other aspects of your design.

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