In typography, font typefaces are generally divided into four main categories:
- Serif: Serif fonts have small decorative strokes capping the ends of longer strokes. They convey authority and credibility.
- Sans-serif: As the name suggests, the strokes in sans-serif fonts are not capped with decorative lines. These fonts have a more modern feel.
- Script: Script fonts mimic handwriting or calligraphy, with flowing lines, connected letters, and varying line width. They convey creativity and personality.
- Display: Display fonts prioritize appearance/impact over readability. They are typically intended for the large text used in titles and logos; at smaller sizes they may not be legible.
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Read this FAQ: What are the four different font types?
“Typography” and “font” are related terms but with distinct meanings.
Typography is the arrangement of type (i.e., text). Design elements that fall under the umbrella of typography include color, size, spacing, alignment, and typeface/font.
Font is the design of letters and characters themselves. Any given font has a typeface, style, and size (e.g., Arial Bold 12pt).
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In typography, leading (pronounced “ledd-ing”) is the vertical space between two lines of text, measured from one baseline (the invisible line on which the letters sit) to the next. Leading can be adjusted to improve readability or help make text look cohesive.
Leading gets its name from early typesetting practices: when type was set by hand, typesetters would insert thin strips of lead between lines to achieve the desired spacing.
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Read this FAQ: What is the definition of leading in typography?
Tracking is a typography term that refers to the space between characters in a block of text. Tracking is consistent for all characters, so changing it will impact the overall appearance of text. Tracking can be adjusted to make text appear more spacious or to help fit text in a tight space.
Tracking is easily confused with kerning, which is the space between specific character pairs. For example, the kerning in the letter pair “AV” is generally adjusted to avoid an awkward gap between these two letters (e.g., “A V”), but this adjustment will not impact the spacing of other letter pairs.
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Read this FAQ: What is the definition of tracking in typography?
The distinction between serif vs. sans-serif fonts is a core principle of typography.
Serif fonts have small decorative strokes that cap each letter, called serifs. A common serif font is Times New Roman.
Sans-serif fonts (from the French “sans,” meaning “without) do not have serifs. A common sans serif font is Arial.
Serif fonts convey tradition and authority, whereas sans-serif fonts have a more modern feel.
Read this FAQ: What are sans-serif vs serif fonts?
