What is BDF?

Glyph Bitmap Distribution Format (BDF) is a human-readable bitmap font format for X11, describing glyphs in ASCII text.

What is AFM?

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

When Should You Use BDF vs AFM?

BDF vs AFM: Key Differences

• •BDF and AFM diverge on compression: lossless compression for the source, lossless compression for the target.
• •Since both BDF and AFM use lossless compression, the quality characteristics are comparable — differences in file size come down to how efficiently each format implements compression.
• •Transparency: N/A
• •Storage footprint: Moderate, plain text font data for BDF vs Very small, text-based metrics for AFM.
• •Primary audience: BDF is built for x11 terminal fonts, embedded system displays scenarios, while AFM focuses on postscript font metrics, pdf font embedding — pick the format that matches your output requirement.

Advantages of BDF

• ✓BDF uses lossless compression tailored for X11 terminal fonts, embedded system displays.
• ✓BDF is supported natively on virtually every device, browser, and operating system.
• ✓BDF files are bit-for-bit perfect, preserving every pixel and sample for professional work.
• ✓BDF integrates seamlessly with all major creative tools and workflows.

Advantages of AFM

• ✓AFM uses lossless compression tailored for PostScript font metrics, PDF font embedding.
• ✓AFM is supported natively on virtually every device, browser, and operating system.
• ✓AFM files are bit-for-bit perfect, preserving every pixel and sample for professional work.
• ✓AFM integrates seamlessly with all major creative tools and workflows.

Common Use Cases for BDF to AFM Conversion

• Brand identity
• Print design
• Mobile apps
• Desktop publishing
• E-book formatting
• User interfaces

Industry Applications

Best Practices for BDF to AFM Conversion

• →Converting BDF to AFM: check that glyph coverage is preserved — some formats have character limitations
• →Use AFM for websites where file size matters
• →Test fonts across different browsers and operating systems after conversion
• →Always keep a backup of your original files before converting
• →Choose the appropriate quality settings for your specific use case

Troubleshooting BDF to AFM Conversion

• !The converted AFM font has incorrect metrics → advance width and kerning values may differ between formats despite identical glyphs
• !AFM file looks heavier or lighter than BDF → font rendering engines handle weight and anti-aliasing differently per format
• !OpenType features (ligatures, swashes) lost after conversion to AFM → verify the target format supports advanced typographic features
• !Variable font axes missing from the converted AFM → variable font support varies significantly between formats

Related Font Converters

All Font Formats

More Font tools