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Python fontbro

:billed_cap: friendly font operations on top of fontTools.

From fabiocaccamo·Updated May 12, 2026·View on GitHub·

**python fontbro** is a :billed_cap: friendly font operations on top of fontTools. The project is written primarily in Python, distributed under the MIT License license, first published in 2021. Key topics include: font, fonttools, languages, opentype, otf.

Latest release: 0.27.0
April 12, 2026View Changelog →











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python-fontbro

friendly font operations on top of fontTools. :billed_cap:

Installation

bash
pip install python-fontbro

Usage

Just import the font class:

python
from fontbro import Font font = Font("fonts/MyFont.ttf") # or you can use any file-like object: with open("fonts/MyFont.ttf") as fh: font = Font(fh)

Methods

clone

python
""" Creates a new Font instance reading the same binary file. """ font_clone = font.clone()

close

python
""" Close the wrapped TTFont instance. """ font.close()

from_collection

python
""" Gets a list of Font objects from a font collection file (.ttc / .otc) :param filepath: The filepath :type filepath: str or pathlib.Path :returns: A list of Font objects. :rtype: list """ fonts = Font.from_collection(filepath="my-font-collection.ttc")

get_characters

python
""" Gets the font characters. :param ignore_blank: If True, characters without contours will not be returned. :type ignore_blank: bool :returns: The characters. :rtype: generator of dicts :raises TypeError: If it's not possible to find the 'best' unicode cmap dict in the font. """ chars = font.get_characters(ignore_blank=False)

get_characters_count

python
""" Gets the font characters count. :param ignore_blank: If True, characters without contours will not be counted. :type ignore_blank: bool :returns: The characters count. :rtype: int """ chars_count = font.get_characters_count(ignore_blank=False)

get_family_classification

python
""" Gets the font family classification info reading the sFamilyClass field from the OS/2 table. If the OS/2 table is not available None is returned. :returns: A dictionary containing the font family classification info, e.g. { "full_name": "Sans Serif / Neo-grotesque Gothic", "class_id": 8, "class_name": "Sans Serif", "subclass_id": 5, "subclass_name": "Neo-grotesque Gothic", } :rtype: dict """ family_classification = font.get_family_classification()

get_family_name

python
""" Gets the family name reading the name records with priority order (16, 21, 1). :returns: The font family name. :rtype: str """ family_name = font.get_family_name()

get_features

python
""" Gets the font opentype features. :returns: The features. :rtype: list of dict """ features = font.get_features()

get_features_tags

python
""" Gets the font opentype features tags. :returns: The features tags list. :rtype: list of str """ features_tags = font.get_features_tags()

get_filename

python
""" Gets the filename to use for saving the font to file-system. :param variable_suffix: The variable suffix, default "Variable" :type variable_suffix: str :param variable_axes_tags: The variable axes tags flag, if True, the axes tags will be appended, eg '[wght,wdth]' :type variable_axes_tags: bool :param variable_axes_values: The variable axes values flag if True, each axis values will be appended, eg '[wght(100,100,900),wdth(75,100,125)]' :type variable_axes_values: bool :returns: The filename. :rtype: str """ filename = font.get_filename(variable_suffix="Variable", variable_axes_tags=True, variable_axes_values=False)

get_fingerprint

python
""" Gets the font fingerprint: an hash calculated from an image representation of the font. Changing the text option affects the returned fingerprint. :param text: The text used for generating the fingerprint, default value: "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789". :type text: str :returns: The fingerprint hash. :rtype: imagehash.ImageHash """ hash = font.get_fingerprint()

get_fingerprint_match

python
""" Gets the fingerprint match between this font and another one. by checking if their fingerprints are equal (difference <= tolerance). :param other: The other font, can be either a filepath or a Font instance. :type other: str or Font :param tolerance: The diff tolerance, default 3. :type tolerance: int :param text: The text used for generating the fingerprint, default value: "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789". :type text: str :returns: A tuple containing the match info (match, diff, hash, other_hash). :rtype: tuple """ match, diff, hash, other_hash = font.get_fingerprint_match(other="other_font.ttf", tolerance=10)

get_format

python
""" Gets the font format: otf, ttf, woff, woff2. :param ignore_flavor: If True, the original format without compression will be returned. :type ignore_flavor: bool :returns: The format. :rtype: str or None """ format = font.get_format(ignore_flavor=False)

get_glyphs

python
""" Gets the font glyphs and their own composition. :returns: The glyphs. :rtype: generator of dicts """ glyphs = font.get_glyphs()

get_glyphs_count

python
""" Gets the font glyphs count. :returns: The glyphs count. :rtype: int """ glyphs_count = font.get_glyphs_count()

get_image

python
""" Gets an image representation of the font rendering some text using the given options. :param text: The text rendered in the image :type text: str :param size: The font size :type size: int :param color: The text color :type color: tuple :param background_color: The background color :type background_color: tuple """ img = font.get_image(text="Hello!", size=48, color=(0, 0, 0, 255), background_color=(255, 255, 255, 255))

get_italic_angle

python
""" Gets the font italic angle. :returns: The angle value including backslant, italic and roman flags. :rtype: dict or None """ italic_angle = font.get_italic_angle()

get_name

python
""" Gets the name by its identifier from the font name table. :param key: The name id or key (eg. "family_name") :type key: int or str :returns: The name. :rtype: str or None :raises KeyError: if the key is not a valid name key/id """ family_name = font.get_name(key=Font.NAME_FAMILY_NAME)

get_names

python
""" Gets the names records mapped by their property name. :returns: The names. :rtype: dict """ names = font.get_names()

get_style_flag

python
""" Gets the style flag reading OS/2 and macStyle tables. :param key: The key :type key: string :returns: The style flag. :rtype: bool """ flag = font.get_style_flag(Font.STYLE_FLAG_BOLD)

get_style_flags

python
""" Gets the style flags reading OS/2 and macStyle tables. :returns: The dict representing the style flags. :rtype: dict """ flags = font.get_style_flags()

get_style_name

python
""" Gets the style name reading the name records with priority order (17, 22, 2). :returns: The font style name. :rtype: str """ style_name = font.get_style_name()

get_svg

python
""" Gets an SVG representation of the font rendering some text using the given options. :param text: The text to be rendered as SVG paths. :type text: str :param size: The size of the font to be used for rendering the text, in points. :type size: int :returns: An SVG string that represents the rendered text. :rtype: str """ svg_str = font.get_svg(text="Hello!", size=48)

get_ttfont

python
""" Gets the wrapped TTFont instance. :returns: The TTFont instance. :rtype: TTFont """ ttfont = font.get_ttfont()

get_unicode_block_by_name

python
""" Gets the unicode block by name (name is case-insensitive and ignores "-"). :param name: The name :type name: str :returns: The unicode block dict if the name is valid, None otherwise. :rtype: dict or None """ block = font.get_unicode_block_by_name(name="Basic Latin")

get_unicode_blocks

python
""" Gets the unicode blocks and their coverage. Only blocks with coverage >= coverage_threshold (0.0 <= coverage_threshold <= 1.0) will be returned. :param coverage_threshold: The minumum required coverage for a block to be returned. :type coverage_threshold: float :returns: The list of unicode blocks. :rtype: list of dicts """ blocks = font.get_unicode_blocks(coverage_threshold=0.00001)

get_unicode_script_by_name

python
""" Gets the unicode script by name/tag (name/tag is case-insensitive and ignores "-"). :param name: The name :type name: str :returns: The unicode script dict if the name/tag is valid, None otherwise. :rtype: dict or None """ script = font.get_unicode_script_by_name(name="Latn")

get_unicode_scripts

python
""" Gets the unicode scripts and their coverage. Only scripts with coverage >= coverage_threshold (0.0 <= coverage_threshold <= 1.0) will be returned. :param coverage_threshold: The minumum required coverage for a script to be returned. :type coverage_threshold: float :returns: The list of unicode scripts. :rtype: list of dicts """ scripts = font.get_unicode_scripts(coverage_threshold=0.00001)

get_variable_axes

python
""" Gets the font variable axes. :returns: The list of axes if the font is a variable font otherwise None. :rtype: list of dict or None """ axes = font.get_variable_axes()

get_variable_axes_tags

python
""" Gets the variable axes tags. :returns: The variable axis tags. :rtype: list or None """ axes_tags = font.get_variable_axes_tags()

get_variable_axis_by_tag

python
""" Gets a variable axis by tag. :param tag: The tag :type tag: string :returns: The variable axis by tag. :rtype: dict or None """ axis = font.get_variable_axis_by_tag(tag="wght")

get_variable_instances

python
""" Gets the variable instances. :returns: The list of instances if the font is a variable font otherwise None. :rtype: list of dict or None """ instances = font.get_variable_instances()

get_variable_instance_by_style_name

python
""" Gets the variable instance by style name, eg. style_name = 'Bold' :param style_name: The style name :type style_name: str :returns: The variable instance matching the given style name. :rtype: dict or None """ instance = font.get_variable_instance_by_style_name(style_name="Bold")

get_variable_instance_closest_to_coordinates

python
""" Gets the variable instance closest to coordinates. eg. coordinates = {"wght": 1000, "slnt": 815, "wdth": 775} If coordinates do not specify some axes, axes default value is used for lookup. :param coordinates: The coordinates :type coordinates: dict :returns: The variable instance closest to coordinates. :rtype: dict or None """ instance = font.get_variable_instance_closest_to_coordinates(coordinates={"wght": 1000, "slnt": 815, "wdth": 775})

get_version

python
""" Gets the font version. :returns: The font version value. :rtype: float """ version = font.get_version()

get_vertical_metrics

python
""" Gets the font vertical metrics. :returns: A dictionary containing the following vertical metrics: "units_per_em", "y_max", "y_min", "ascent", "descent", "line_gap", "typo_ascender", "typo_descender", "typo_line_gap", "cap_height", "x_height", "win_ascent", "win_descent" :rtype: dict """ metrics = font.get_vertical_metrics()

get_weight

python
""" Gets the font weight value and name. :returns: The weight name and value. :rtype: dict or None """ weight = font.get_weight()

get_width

python
""" Gets the font width value and name. :returns: The width name and value. :rtype: dict or None """ width = font.get_width()

is_color

python
""" Determines if the font is a color font. :returns: True if color font, False otherwise. :rtype: bool """ color = font.is_color()

is_monospace

python
""" Determines if the font is a monospace font. :param threshold: The threshold (0.0 <= n <= 1.0) of glyphs with the same width to consider the font as monospace. :type threshold: float :returns: True if monospace font, False otherwise. :rtype: bool """ mono = font.is_monospace(threshold=0.85)

is_static

python
""" Determines if the font is a static font. :returns: True if static font, False otherwise. :rtype: bool """ static = font.is_static()

is_variable

python
""" Determines if the font is a variable font. :returns: True if variable font, False otherwise. :rtype: bool """ variable = font.is_variable()

rename

python
""" Renames the font names records (1, 2, 4, 6, 16, 17) according to the given family_name and style_name (subfamily_name). If family_name is not defined it will be auto-detected. If style_name is not defined it will be auto-detected. :param family_name: The family name :type family_name: str :param style_name: The style name :type style_name: str :param update_style_flags: if True the style flags will be updated by subfamily name :type update_style_flags: bool :raises ValueError: if the computed PostScript-name is longer than 63 characters. """ font.rename(family_name="My Font New", style_name="Bold Italic", update_style_flags=True)

sanitize

python
""" Sanitize the font file using OpenType Sanitizer. https://github.com/googlefonts/ots-python :param strict: If True (default), raises an exception even on sanitizer warnings. If False, only raises an exception on sanitizer failure (non-zero exit code). :type strict: bool :raises Exception: If the OpenType Sanitizer reports an error during the sanitization process. :return: None :note: Uses OpenType Sanitizer (ots) to sanitize the font file. Saves the font to a temporary directory and invokes the sanitizer on the saved file. If `strict` is True (default), treats sanitizer warnings as errors. If `strict` is False, only checks for sanitizer errors. """ font.sanitize(strict=True)

save

python
""" Saves the font at filepath. :param filepath: The filepath, if None the source filepath will be used :type filepath: str or None :param overwrite: The overwrite, if True the source font file can be overwritten :type overwrite: bool :returns: The filepath where the font has been saved to. :rtype: str :raises ValueError: If the filepath is the same of the source font and overwrite is not allowed. """ saved_font_path = font.save(filepath=None, overwrite=False)

save_as_woff

python
""" Saves font as woff. :param filepath: The filepath :type filepath: str :param overwrite: The overwrite, if True the source font file can be overwritten :type overwrite: bool :returns: The filepath where the font has been saved to. :rtype: str """ saved_font_path = font.save_as_woff(filepath=None, overwrite=True)

save_as_woff2

python
""" Saves font as woff2. :param filepath: The filepath :type filepath: str :param overwrite: The overwrite, if True the source font file can be overwritten :type overwrite: bool :returns: The filepath where the font has been saved to. :rtype: str """ saved_font_path = font.save_as_woff2(filepath=None, overwrite=True)

save_to_fileobject

python
""" Writes the font to a file-like object. If no file-object is passed, an instance of `BytesIO` is created for the user. :param fileobject: A file-like object to write to. :returns: The file object that was originally pass, or a new BytesIO instance. :rtype: typing.io.IO """ fileobject = font.save_to_fileobject(fileobject=None)

save_variable_instances

python
""" Save all instances of a variable font to specified directory in one or more format(s). :param dirpath: The dirpath :type dirpath: The directory path where the instances will be saved. :param woff2: Whether to save instances also in WOFF2 format. Default is True. :type woff2: bool :param woff: Whether to save instances also in WOFF format. Default is True. :type woff: bool :param overwrite: Whether to overwrite existing files in the directory. Default is True. :type overwrite: bool :param options: Additional options to be passed to the instancer when generating static instances. :type options: dictionary :returns: A list containing dictionaries for each saved instance. Each dictionary includes 'instance' (containing instance metadata) and 'files' (a dictionary with file formats as keys and file-paths as values). :raises TypeError: If the font is not a variable font. """ saved_fonts = font.save_variable_instances(dirpath, woff2=True, woff=True, overwrite=True, **options)

set_family_classification

python
""" Sets font family classification (sFamilyClass in the OS/2 table) based on provided class_id and subclass_id. :param class_id: Numeric identifier of the font family class. :param subclass_id: Optional numeric identifier of the font family subclass (default is 0). :raises OperationError: If the OS/2 table is not available in the font. :raises ArgumentError: If class_id is invalid or subclass_id is specified but invalid. """ font.set_family_classification(**font.FAMILY_CLASSIFICATION_SCRIPTS_CALLIGRAPHIC) # alternatively: font.set_family_classification(class_id=10, subclass_id=5)

set_family_name

python
""" Sets the family name updating the related font names records. :param name: The name :type name: The new family name. """ font.set_family_name(name="My Font New")

set_name

python
""" Sets the name by its identifier in the font name table. :param key: The name id or key (eg. "family_name") :type key: int or str :param value: The value :type value: str """ font.set_name(Font.NAME_FAMILY_NAME, "Family Name Renamed")

set_names

python
""" Sets the names by their identifier in the name table. :param names: The names :type names: dict """ font.set_names(names={ Font.NAME_FAMILY_NAME: "Family Name Renamed", Font.NAME_SUBFAMILY_NAME: "Regular Renamed", })

set_style_flag

python
""" Sets the style flag. :param key: The flag key :type key: str :param value: The value :type value: bool """ font.set_style_flag(Font.STYLE_FLAG_BOLD, True)

set_style_flags

python
""" Sets the style flags, flags set to None will be ignored. :param bold: The bold flag value. :type bold: bool or None :param italic: The italic flag value. :type italic: bool or None :param underline: The underline flag value. :type underline: bool or None :param outline: The outline flag value. :type outline: bool or None """ font.set_style_flags(regular=None, bold=None, italic=None, outline=None, underline=None)

set_style_flags_by_subfamily_name

python
""" Sets the style flags by the subfamily name value. The subfamily values should be "regular", "italic", "bold" or "bold italic" to allow this method to work properly. """ font.set_style_flags_by_subfamily_name()

set_style_name

python
""" Sets the style name updating the related font names records. :param name: The name :type name: The new style name. """ font.set_style_name(name="Bold Italic")

set_vertical_metrics

python
""" Sets the vertical metrics. :param metrics: Keyword arguments representing the vertical metrics that can be set: "units_per_em", "y_max", "y_min", "ascent", "descent", "line_gap", "typo_ascender", "typo_descender", "typo_line_gap", "cap_height", "x_height", "win_ascent", "win_descent" """ font.set_vertical_metrics(units_per_em=2000, y_max=2102, y_min=-533, ascent=1800, descent=-400, line_gap=0, typo_ascender=1800, typo_descender=-400, typo_line_gap=0, cap_height=1400, x_height=1080, win_ascent=2160, win_descent=540)

subset

python
""" Subsets the font using the given options (unicodes or glyphs or text), it is possible to pass also subsetter options, more info here: https://github.com/fonttools/fonttools/blob/main/Lib/fontTools/subset/__init__.py :param unicodes: The unicodes :type unicodes: str or list :param glyphs: The glyphs :type glyphs: list :param text: The text :type text: str :param options: The subsetter options :type options: dict """ font.subset(unicodes="", glyphs=[], text="", **options)

to_sliced_variable

python
""" Converts the variable font to a partial one slicing the variable axes at the given coordinates. If an axis value is not specified, the axis will be left untouched. If an axis min and max values are equal, the axis will be pinned. :param coordinates: The coordinates dictionary, each item value must be tuple/list/dict (with 'min', 'default' and 'max' keys) for slicing or float/int for pinning, eg. {'wdth':100, 'wght':(100,600), 'ital':(30,65,70)} or {'wdth':100, 'wght':[100,600], 'ital':[30,65,70]} or {'wdth':100, 'wght':{'min':100,'max':600}, 'ital':{'min':30,'default':65,'max':70}} :type coordinates: dict :param options: The options for the fontTools.varLib.instancer :type options: dictionary :raises TypeError: If the font is not a variable font :raises ValueError: If the coordinates are not defined (empty) :raises ValueError: If the coordinates axes are all pinned """ font.to_sliced_variable(coordinates, **options)

to_static

python
""" Converts the variable font to a static one pinning the variable axes at the given coordinates. If an axis value is not specified, the axis will be pinned at its default value. If coordinates are not specified each axis will be pinned at its default value. :param coordinates: The coordinates, eg. {'wght':500, 'ital':50} :type coordinates: dict or None :param style_name: The existing instance style name, eg. 'Black' :type style_name: str or None :param update_names: if True the name records will be updated based on closest instance :type update_names: bool :param update_style_flags: if True the style flags will be updated based on closest instance :type update_style_flags: bool :param options: The options for the fontTools.varLib.instancer :type options: dictionary :raises TypeError: If the font is not a variable font :raises ValueError: If the coordinates axes are not all pinned """ font.to_static(coordinates=None, style_name=None, update_names=True, update_style_flags=True, **options)

Testing

bash
# clone repository git clone https://github.com/fabiocaccamo/python-fontbro.git && cd python-fontbro # create virtualenv and activate it python -m venv venv && . venv/bin/activate # upgrade pip python -m pip install --upgrade pip # install requirements python -m pip install -r requirements.txt -r requirements-test.txt # install pre-commit to run formatters and linters pre-commit install --install-hooks # run tests using tox tox # or run tests using unittest python -m unittest

License

Released under MIT License.

Credits

Special thanks to Jérémie Hornus and Just Van Rossum.

Supporting

  • :star: Star this project on GitHub
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  • :moneybag: Sponsor me on Github

See also

  • python-benedict - dict subclass with keylist/keypath support, I/O shortcuts (base64, csv, json, pickle, plist, query-string, toml, xml, yaml) and many utilities. 📘
  • python-fsutil - file-system utilities for lazy devs. 🧟‍♂️

Contributors

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This article is auto-generated from fabiocaccamo/python-fontbro via the GitHub API.Last fetched: 6/19/2026