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Copy-edit the "fonts in pdf and postscript" table. #30569

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timhoffm merged 1 commit into from
Sep 18, 2025
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Copy-edit the "fonts in pdf and postscript" table. #30569

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62 changes: 22 additions & 40 deletions galleries/users_explain/text/fonts.py
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Expand Up @@ -27,28 +27,24 @@
Matplotlib supports three font specifications (in addition to pdf 'core fonts',
which are explained later in the guide):

.. table:: Type of Fonts

+--------------------------+----------------------------+----------------------------+
| Type 1 (PDF with usetex) | Type 3 (PDF/PS) | TrueType (PDF) |
+==========================+============================+============================+
| One of the oldest types, | Similar to Type 1 in | Newer than previous types, |
| introduced by Adobe | terms of introduction | used commonly today, |
| | | introduced by Apple |
+--------------------------+----------------------------+----------------------------+
| Restricted subset of | Full PostScript language, | Includes a virtual machine |
| PostScript, charstrings | allows embedding arbitrary | that can execute code! |
| are in bytecode | code (in theory, even | |
| | render fractals when | |
| | rasterizing!) | |
+--------------------------+----------------------------+----------------------------+
| Supports font | Does not support font | Supports font hinting |
| hinting | hinting | (virtual machine processes |
| | | the "hints") |
+--------------------------+----------------------------+----------------------------+
| Subsetted by code in | Subsetted via external module |
| `matplotlib._type1font` | `fontTools <https://github.com/fonttools/fonttools>`__ |
+--------------------------+----------------------------+----------------------------+
.. table:: Types of Fonts

+--------------------------+----------------------------+-------------------------------+
| Type 1 (PDF with usetex) | Type 3 (PDF/PS) | TrueType (PDF) / Type 42 (PS) |
+==========================+============================+===============================+
| Old font types introduced by Adobe. | Newer font type introduced by |
| | Apple; commonly used today. |
+--------------------------+----------------------------+-------------------------------+
| Restricted subset of | Full PostScript language, | Includes a virtual machine |
| PostScript, charstrings | allows embedding arbitrary | that can execute code. |
| are in bytecode. | code. | |
+--------------------------+----------------------------+-------------------------------+
| Supports font hinting. | Does not support font | Supports font hinting, |
| | hinting. | through the virtual machine. |
+--------------------------+----------------------------+-------------------------------+
| Subsetted by code in | Subsetted via external module |
| `matplotlib._type1font`. | `fontTools <https://github.com/fonttools/fonttools>`__. |
+--------------------------+----------------------------+-------------------------------+

.. note::

Expand All @@ -59,23 +55,9 @@

__ https://helpx.adobe.com/fonts/kb/postscript-type-1-fonts-end-of-support.html

Other font specifications which Matplotlib supports:

- Type 42 fonts (PS):

- PostScript wrapper around TrueType fonts
- 42 is the `Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything!
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Answer_to_Life,_the_Universe,_and_Everything>`_
- Matplotlib uses the external library
`fontTools <https://github.com/fonttools/fonttools>`__ to subset these types of
fonts

- OpenType fonts:

- OpenType is a new standard for digital type fonts, developed jointly by
Adobe and Microsoft
- Generally contain a much larger character set!
- Limited support with Matplotlib
Matplotlib also provides limited support for OpenType fonts, a newer standard
developed jointly by Adobe and Microsoft; such fonts generally contain a much
larger character set.

Font subsetting
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -201,4 +183,4 @@

A majority of this work was done by Aitik Gupta supported by Google Summer of
Code 2021.
"""
""" # noqa: E501