What is AFM?

Adobe Font Metrics (AFM) is a text file describing Type 1 font metrics including character widths, kerning pairs, and bounding boxes.

What is CFF?

Compact Font Format (CFF) is a PostScript-based font format used in PDF documents and professional printing for efficient font storage.

When Should You Use AFM vs CFF?

AFM vs CFF: Key Differences

• •AFM uses lossless compression while CFF uses lossless compression — both take the same approach to file size management.
• •Since both AFM and CFF use lossless compression, the quality characteristics are comparable — differences in file size come down to how efficiently each format implements compression.
• •Alpha channel support: CFF lacks transparency support.
• •Storage footprint: Very small, text-based metrics for AFM vs 15-100KB per font for CFF.
• •Primary audience: AFM is built for postscript font metrics, pdf font embedding scenarios, while CFF focuses on professional printing, pdf fonts — pick the format that matches your output requirement.

Advantages of AFM

• ✓AFM applies lossless compression specifically calibrated for PostScript font metrics, PDF font embedding.
• ✓AFM enjoys broad native support across operating systems, browsers, and creative tools alike.
• ✓AFM guarantees every bit of the original data survives — no approximations, no shortcuts.
• ✓You will find AFM support built into virtually every tool that handles PostScript font metrics, PDF font embedding — no plugins or converters needed.

Advantages of CFF

• ✓At its core, CFF relies on lossless encoding — a design choice that makes it perfect for Professional printing, PDF fonts.
• ✓You won't run into compatibility issues with CFF — it's a universal standard across platforms.
• ✓File size management with CFF: larger files guaranteed to match the original exactly.
• ✓Every major application in the Professional printing, PDF fonts space supports CFF natively.

Common Use Cases for AFM to CFF Conversion

• Print design
• Mobile apps
• Desktop publishing
• E-book formatting
• User interfaces
• Marketing materials

Industry Applications

Best Practices for AFM to CFF Conversion

• →Before converting AFM to CFF, review the font license — some licenses restrict format conversion
• →Check hinting data after conversion: CFF may handle TrueType hinting differently than AFM
• →Verify that all character sets (Latin, Cyrillic, CJK, etc.) survived the conversion intact
• →Test the converted font in both a browser and a desktop application
• →Keep the original font file in case the conversion alters spacing metrics

Troubleshooting AFM to CFF Conversion

• !CFF font doesn't render correctly → check if CFF supports all glyphs present in AFM
• !Licensing restrictions after AFM to CFF conversion → verify the font license allows format conversion
• !Hinting data lost converting AFM to CFF → some font formats like CFF may not preserve TrueType hinting
• !Special characters missing from converted CFF → font subsetting may have removed unused glyphs

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