Opentype is a type of font created by a collaborative venture between Adobe and Microsoft. Opentype was created recently to compete with Truetype’s success while still incorporating some of Truetype’s features. TrueType is a particular variation of a font created by Apple in the 1980s. TrueType has been widely used in computers and desktops since its creation. Its development, however, began far earlier than Opentype’s in the 1980s.
Opentype vs Truetype
The main difference between Opentype and Truetype is that Adobe’s Type 1 and Apple’s Truetype were used to develop and launch Opentype. Opentype’s structure, on the other hand, was based on other pre-existing products on the market. However, Truetype’s inception and development were not based on any other pre-existing ideas but rather on Apple’s creation of a new product. TrueType’s importance and superiority are unrivalled due to its early market penetration. It is, however, always higher than Opentype.
Opentype makes use of the more complex CFF or Compact Font Format, which instead of quadratic spines, uses cubic Bezier spines, as well as advanced glyph tables and typographic properties. No matter how great Opentype is, it will always fall short of the widely used TrueType. The process of creating Opentype typefaces is a difficult one. As a result, the market for Opentype typefaces is small and constrained.
Truetype exclusively uses glyph tables for its operations. Glyph tables are used to accurately draw characters on the screen. Truetype additionally uses hinting to adjust the control so that the rasterizer can build and display better pictures and images of the characters. Because TrueType has been around for decades, many people are familiar with the process of creating TrueType fonts. As a result, TrueType fonts are abundant in the market and are both downloadable and free.
Comparison Table Between Opentype and Truetype
| Parameters of Comparison | Opentype | Truetype |
| Developed by | Microsoft and Adobe | Apple |
| Timeline | Recent development | Developed much earlier |
| Based on | Adobe’s Type 1, TrueType | Unique ideas |
| Operated via | Glyph tables, CFF | Glyph tables only |
| Creation | Difficult | Easy |
What is Opentype?
Opentype is a type of font created by Adobe and Microsoft as part of a collaborative venture. Opentype was created recently with the primary goal of competing with Truetype’s success while still incorporating some of Truetype’s features.
Adobe’s Type 1 and Apple’s Truetype were the foundations for the creation and emergence of Opentype. Opentype’s structure, on the other hand, was built on other pre-existing market items.
Opentype makes use of the more advanced CFF or Compact Font Format, which instead of quadratic spines, uses cubic Bezier spines, as well as glyph tables and typographic elements that are state-of-the-art.
Regardless of how good Opentype is, it will always fall short of TrueType’s widespread popularity. Opentype font development is a difficult endeavour. As a result, Opentype fonts are scarce and difficult to come by on the market.
What is Truetype?
TrueType is a particular variation of a font that was created in the 1980s by a company called Apple. TrueType has been widely used in computers and desktops since its inception. However, it was created considerably earlier than Opentype in the 1980s.
Truetype’s emergence and development were not based on any other pre-existing ideas but rather on Apple’s creation. Truetype’s operations are limited to glyph tables. Glyph tables are used to ensure that characters are drawn correctly on the screen.
Truetype additionally uses hints to adjust the control so that the rasterizer can build and display better pictures and images of the characters. TrueType’s importance and superiority are unrivalled because of its early market penetration. It does, however, always rank higher than Opentype.
Because TrueType fonts have been around for decades, many people are familiar with the process of creating them. As a result, TrueType fonts are widely available on the market, and they are both downloadable and free.
Main Differences Between Opentype and Truetype
- Opentype is a special type of font which was developed by the joint venture of Adobe and Microsoft. On the other hand, TrueType is a special variant of a font whose development was done during the 80s by a firm named Apple.
- Opentype was developed recently, possessing the main motive to compete with Truetype’s success which also incorporates some of the functionalities of Truetype. On the other hand, TrueType, since its development, has been in use extensively in computers and desktops. However, its development took place much earlier than Opentype in the 80s.
- The development and emergence of Opentype were based on Adobe’s Type 1 and Apple’s Truetype. However, the build-up structure of Opentype was based on other pre-existing stuff in the market. On the other hand, the emergence, development of Truetype was not based on any other pre-existing ideas, but it was itself a new product by Apple itself.
- Opentype make use of greater advanced CFF or Compact Font Format, which instead of using quadratic, generally make use of cubic Bezier spines, along with glyph tables and typographic features, which are of highly advanced technology. On the other hand, Truetype undergoes its operations via glyph table only. Glyph tables are used for the way the characters are being properly drawn on the screen. Hinting is also being used by Truetype for modifying the control to create and display better pictures and images of the characters by the rasterizer.
- It doesn’t matter how superior Opentype is, but it always remains under the highly popular TrueType. On the other hand, Due to the early penetration of the TrueType into the market, its importance, superiority is unparalleled. However, it always remains above Opentype as well.
- The process of the creation of Opentype fonts is a bit challenging task. Therefore the availability of the Opentype fonts in the market is less and limited. On the other hand, as TrueType has been in the market for centuries, many people are well aware of the process of the creation of the TrueType fonts. Therefore, TrueType fonts are available in plenty in the market and are downloadable and free.
Conclusion
Adobe and Microsoft collaborated to create Opentype, a specific type of font. Opentype was created recently to compete with Truetype’s success by incorporating some of Truetype’s features. Adobe Type 1 and Apple Truetype were the foundations for Opentype’s development and emergence.
Opentype makes use of the more complex CFF or Compact Font Format, which instead of quadratic spines, uses cubic Bezier spines, as well as glyph tables and additional typographic characteristics. The process of creating Opentype fonts is a bit of a challenge. As a result, the number of Opentype fonts available on the market is restricted.
TrueType is a variation of a font created by Apple in the 1980s. TrueType has been widely used in computers and desktops since its initial introduction. Truetype’s inception and development were not based on any pre-existing ideas but rather on Apple’s creation. Truetype solely uses a glyph table to perform its tasks. The way the characters are drawn on the screen is controlled by glyph tables.
Truetype additionally employs hints to adjust the control for the rasterizer to produce and display better images and pictures of the characters. Many people are familiar with the process of creating TrueType fonts because TrueType has been around for millennia. As a result, TrueType fonts are widely available on the market, and they are both free and downloaded.
References
- http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.735.5262&rep=rep1&type=pdf
- https://userfiles.faso.us/7105/6456.pdf