What are Variable Fonts?

Variable fonts are typefaces reduced to a single file. They allow you to create animated, variable type through parameters such as weight or grade, instead of specific font files.

Oscar de la Hera Gomez
Written by Oscar de la Hera Gomez
First published on 07/26/2023 at 11:51
Last Updated on 07/26/2023 at 12:21
<p>A flower that represents typography with the text "What are Variable Fonts?" beneath it.</p>

Variable fonts are typefaces reduced to a single file. They allow you to create animated, variable type through parameters such as weight or grade, instead of specific font files.

Subscribe

Web Dev introduced Variable Fonts to the world in February 2018, and are a font specification that can significantly reduce font file sizes. As of May 2020 variable fonts are supported in most browsers.

Variable Fonts are beneficial for projects that uses a wide variety of fonts, which can lead to heavy file sizes and long load times.

Another innovative benefit is that variable fonts allow for type animations, as shown by Shantell Martin's Shantell Sans.

Discover Shantell Sans

"The terms font and typeface are often used interchangeably by developers. However there is a difference: A typeface is the underlying visual design that can exist in many different typesetting technologies, and a font is one of these implementations, in a digital file format. In other words, a typeface is what you see, and the font is what you use.

Another concept that is often overlooked is the distinction between a style, and a family. A style is a single and specific typeface, such as Bold Italic, and a family is the complete set of styles.

Before variable fonts, each style was implemented as a separate font file. With variable fonts, all styles can be contained in a single file."

Read Web Dev's Article on Variable Fonts

Looking to use Variable Fonts in Figma ?

To learn how to use Variable Fonts in Figma, consult the guide below.

How to use Variable Fonts in Figma

Any Questions?

We are actively looking for feedback on how to improve this resource. Please send us a note to inquiries@delasign.com with any thoughts or feedback you may have.
SubscribeContact UsVisit our BlogView our ServicesView our Work

Partner with us

We would love to get to know you and see how we can help your organization with its goals and needs.
Let's Talk

Stay Informed

Get occasional updates about our company, research, and product launches.
Subscribe