Understanding Internet Fonts

Internet fonts, also known as web fonts, are fonts that are downloaded by your web browser while loading a web page. They allow websites to use custom typography that is not limited to the fonts installed on a user's device.

How Internet Fonts Work

When you visit a website using web fonts, your browser downloads the font files from a web server and applies them to the text on the page. This process enables the site to maintain a consistent look across different devices and platforms.

Common Web Font Formats

WOFF (Web Open Font Format): The most widely supported and optimized format for the web.
WOFF2: An improved version of WOFF with better compression.
TTF (TrueType Font): Older format, sometimes used as a fallback.
SVG Fonts: Used mainly for older iOS devices.

Popular Web Font Services

Google Fonts – Free, open-source fonts with easy embedding.
Fonts.com – Commercial fonts with licensing options.
Adobe Fonts – Subscription-based service integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud.

How to Use Internet Fonts in CSS

Fonts are typically included using the @font-face rule or by linking to font services:

<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Roboto" rel="stylesheet">

body {
  font-family: 'Roboto', sans-serif;
}

Benefits of Using Internet Fonts

Consistent typography across different devices.
Access to a wide variety of typefaces beyond system fonts.
Improved branding and user experience.

Considerations

Font files add to page load time; optimize by using only needed weights/styles.
Some fonts require licensing for commercial use.
Use fallback fonts in CSS for situations when web fonts fail to load.