Q. What’s the difference between the TTF and CFF OpenType formats?
A. OpenType fonts come in two flavors with two different extensions. The first is CFF, which usually has the extension .otf (often referred to as PostScript Type1). The second is TTF with the extension .ttf (usually referred to as TrueType). The format depends on the kind of outline data it contains: PostScript or TrueType.
To the viewer’s eye, these two OpenType fonts are exactly the same in appearance and metrics (spacing, kerning, etc.). But while both OpenType formats are platform-independent and can be used by both Mac and Windows operating systems, there are some differences that might be important to you when selecting which format to use.
TrueType outlines allow for more robust “hinting,” a feature that offers a high degree of control over how a font displays on the screen, especially at small sizes. If your project is bound for the web or mobile devices, the TrueType-flavored (TTF) OpenType fonts are usually the best choice.
The TTF version is also the better choice when you’re using it on Windows because some older versions of the Windows OS (prior to Windows 2000) don’t render Type1 fonts correctly. The newer Windows operating systems have this capability built in. In addition, some Microsoft products (such as Windows PowerPoint 2007) have issues and/or limitations related to CFF OpenType fonts.
If you need to use your fonts primarily in a specific program, check the program’s user guide to confirm that it supports all font formats.
To sum it up, if you are using the fonts in a Windows environment for either print or web work, TTF is the better choice. But if you are on a Mac and working on print projects, CFF is the way to go.
This article was last modified on May 15, 2023
This article was first published on April 13, 2011
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Robin, the difference in file size (if any) is very small and not important.
I just read at Adobe website that type designers prefer CFF because it uses fewer Bezier points and thus the file sizes are much smaller than in TTF, among other CFF advantages. But IU still don;t know which to buy for print magazines on OS 10.9.5 and Adobe CS 6. I care not one whit about using Microsoft products. I wish an Adobe or other expert would chime in. https://blog.typekit.com/2010/12/02/the-benefits-of-opentypecff-over-truetype/
Very good article!
TrueType allow more robust hinting
See this comparison to better understand
https://fsd.tumblr.com/post/120602298347/ttf-vs-otf
You never get around to explaining why Mac users should use OTF! From my experience, OTF fonts contain hundreds of more characters and ligatures that don’t exist in the same TTF font. But what is your rationale?
An update on the Mac OS 10.6.7 OpenType problem:
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT4605
Ilene
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T H E T Y P E S T U D I O
http://www.thetypestudio.com/
Technically you can say that its perhaps better, but conversion break original outlines, the original design. to explain, i wrote this: https://www.porchez.com/article/650/truetype-quality
This article lists the advantages of TFF fonts listed… but what are the advantages to using CFF fonts on a Mac or on print projects? (Why not use TFF for all your work?)
Here and in everywhere I read OTF TT offers improved hinting, with better rendering on screen. Besides this, there is an additional advantage as the font designer could use a larger UPM size in TTF without problems, while doing the same with CFF cause issues. But I cannot identify any real advantage for OTF T1 as printing and DTP get the same from both formats. So, actually TTF flavor seems better. This is advocated by some type designers, as one can see with Vesper Pro and DuroType. Maybe the old formula “CFF for print, TTF for screen” is not strictly correct these days.
Hi Bill,
Both formats will appear and perform the same on a Mac, but the CFF format is the default (and in some cases, the only) OpenType font format available from many foundries, and therefore most widely available and utilized by Mac users.
Ilene
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T H E T Y P E S T U D I O
http://www.thetypestudio.com/
There are no disadvantages to using TTF fonts on a Mac for desktop publishing (translate: print) as both formats will appear and perform identically. But for those using an old version of Windows (primarily prior to 2000), TTF is the better choice to avoid any potential problems with the rasterizer in some of the older Windows operating systems.
Ilene
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T H E T Y P E S T U D I O
http://www.thetypestudio.com/
Duly noted, and updates have been made where needed for clarification.
Ilene
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T H E T Y P E S T U D I O
http://www.thetypestudio.com/
Maybe I missed it — wouldn’t be the first time — but I don’t see details on why the CFF (.otf) is a better choice than TTF when used on a Mac…which is what we do here. Please elucidate and thank you for all you do.
What you don’t cover are the disadvantages–if any–of using TTF type OpenType fonts on Macs and Windows. Are there any?
Irene,
There are a number of issues I have with some of what you’ve written here. I have sent a discussion of these issues to you privately via e-mail.
– Dov
This story points out advantages of TFF – hinting and better Windows compatibility – but other than that states they are pretty much the same in how they appear. So why does it appear to state in summary that CFF is better for print projects?
Steve Werner commented on this over at InDesignSecrets:
https://indesignsecrets.com/mac-os-x-10-6-7-update-causes-font-problems—but-probably-not-in-indesign.php
Terri Stone
Editor in Chief, CreativePro.com
I am aware of that, and hopefully the will have a fix soon. You can read more about it here: https://tinyurl.com/3zyv4l4
Ilene
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T H E T Y P E S T U D I O
Westport, CT
203.227.5929
http://www.thetypestudio.com/
I have had to convert my CFF to TFF because of the problems between Adobe and Apple on the new OSX 10.6.7, so at the moment I would disagree – there is a mess with PDFs right now, as well as DOCs in Word and Pages.