TrueType is a particular variation of a font created by Apple in the 1980s. TrueType has been widely used in computers and desktops since its creation. Its development, however, began far earlier than Opentypeโs in the 1980s.
Key Takeaways
- OpenType fonts support many characters and are more versatile for multilingual typography.
- TrueType fonts use quadratic Bรฉzier curves for precise control over glyph shapes, while OpenType fonts can use either quadratic or cubic Bรฉzier curves.
- OpenType fonts offer advanced typographic features such as ligatures, stylistic sets, and alternate glyphs, which are unavailable in TrueType fonts.
Opentype vs Truetype
OpenType is a special type of font that was developed by Microsoft and Adobe as part of a collaboration between the two companies, and it uses the compact font format. TrueType is a specific variation of unique fonts developed by Apple, and it is used only on Apple desktops and computers.
No matter Opentypeโs greatness, it will always fall short of the widely used TrueType. The process of creating Opentype typefaces is a difficult one. As a result, the market for Opentype typefaces is small and constrained.
Truetype exclusively uses glyph tables for its operations. Glyph tables are used to draw characters accurately on the screen. Truetype additionally uses hinting to adjust the control so that the rasterizer can build and display better pictures and images of the characters.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Opentype | Truetype |
|---|---|---|
| Developed by | Microsoft and Adobe | Apple |
| Timeline | Recent development | Developed much earlier |
Based on | Adobeโs Type 1, TrueType | Unique ideas |
| Operated via | Glyph tables, CFF | Glyph tables only |
| Creation | Difficult | Easy |
What is Opentype?
Opentype is a type of font created by Adobe and Microsoft as part of a collaborative venture. Opentype was created recently to compete with Truetypeโs success while still incorporating some of Truetypeโs features.
Adobeโs Type 1 and Appleโs Truetype were the foundations for the creation and emergence of Opentype. On the other hand, Opentypeโs structure was built on other pre-existing market items.
Opentype uses the more advanced CFF or Compact Font Format, which uses cubic Bezier spines, glyph tables, and state-of-the-art typographic elements instead of quadratic splines.
Regardless of how good Opentype is, it will always fall short of TrueTypeโs widespread popularity. Opentype font development is a difficult endeavour.
What is Truetype?
TrueType is a particular font variation created in the 1980s by a company called Apple. TrueType has been widely used in computers and desktops since its inception.
Truetypeโs emergence and development were not based on any other pre-existing ideas but rather on Appleโs creation. Truetypeโs operations are limited to glyph tables.
TrueTypeโs importance and superiority are unrivalled because of its early market penetration. It does, however, always rank higher than Opentype.
Because TrueType fonts have been around for decades, many people are familiar with the process of creating them.
Main Differences Between Opentype and Truetype
- It doesnโt matter how superior Opentype is, but it always remains under the highly popular TrueType. On the other hand, Due to the early penetration of TrueType into the market, its importance and superiority are unparalleled. However, it always remains above Opentype as well.
- The process of the creation of Opentype fonts is a bit challenging task. Therefore the availability of Opentype fonts in the market is less and limited. On the other hand, as TrueType has been in the market for centuries, many people are well aware of the process of the creation of TrueType fonts. Therefore, TrueType fonts are available in plenty of markets and are downloadable and free.
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
