Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats

885: CSS Fonts Fallbacks, Variable and Trimming

Mar 17, 2025

Dive into the fascinating world of CSS fonts, where fallbacks and variable fonts take center stage. Discover how to optimize font loading and avoid layout shifts that can disrupt user experience. Learn about the innovative text-box-trim feature, giving developers better control over typography. The discussion also highlights essential tools for managing custom fonts and the latest browser support challenges. Perfect for anyone looking to elevate their web design game!

23:10

Creator website

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The @font-face rule revolutionizes web typography by allowing custom fonts and influencing loading experiences with the 'font-display' property.

Variable fonts offer design flexibility with customizable features, requiring specific syntax to manipulate settings effectively for dynamic typography.

Deep dives

Understanding @font-face and Font Display Properties

The introduction of the @font-face rule has significantly enhanced the ability to use custom fonts on the web, moving beyond a limited selection of standard fonts. This rule allows developers to define how fonts are loaded and displayed, with the crucial css property 'font-display' influencing user experience during the loading process. Three important states are discussed: blocking, which delays text rendering until the font is available; swap, which shows fallback text while the custom font loads; and fallback, which defaults to a backup font if the custom one fails to load. Developers are advised to use 'font-display: auto' for optimal results, allowing browsers to manage font loading based on various factors like network speed and user devices.

Intro

2min

Exploring Custom Fonts and Font Display Management

3min

Mastering Font Loading in Web Development

14min

Exploring CSS Innovations: Textbox Trim and Edge Properties

2min

Improving CSS Fonts: Challenges and Browser Support

2min

Scott and Wes dig into the wild world of CSS fonts—covering fallbacks, variable fonts, and new tricks like text-box-trim. They also break down font-display, font kits, and how to avoid layout shifts when loading custom type.

Show Notes