FontForge vs Fontra

FontForge is a free, open-source font editor for Windows, macOS and GNU/Linux. It creates and modifies PostScript, TrueType and OpenType fonts, saves fonts in outline formats and can generate bitmaps. Users can draw letter outlines, set glyph metrics and ligatures, and manage related metadata. FontForge supports OpenType and Apple Advanced Typography tables, including GPOS and GSUB features. Its font, bitmap and metrics views offer ways to inspect and edit typefaces. For automation, it includes Python and a legacy native scripting interpreter; Python-package plugins can add tools to the Font View or Char View menus. The command line accepts PostScript, TrueType, OpenType, Mac resource, bitmap and SVG files, among others listed. The project makes source code available under a libre license and permits redistribution with or without a fee. Releases are available for Windows, Mac and GNU+Linux, with developer builds also offered. The Mac installation requires OS X 10.15 or later. The Windows page warns that the launcher may upset some antivirus and firewall applications. For questions, the homepage directs users to consult documentation and web searches before using its mailing list.

Fontra is a free, open-source browser-based font editor designed around variable fonts. It was initially developed to make designing and producing large CJK fonts more efficient. Its architecture combines a JavaScript browser client and Python server, which can run locally or remotely. Fontra Pak bundles the application for desktop use and local file editing; a remote server setup allows real-time collaboration among users, with changes propagating across windows. The project supports reading and writing Designspace and UFO files, as well as reading and exporting TTF and OTF files, including variable fonts. Editing features include live text entry, designspace axis navigation, interpolation, OpenType features, outline editing, components, anchors, guidelines, background images, transformations, kerning, font metadata and variation-axis mapping. Fontra Pak has binaries for macOS 11 and newer, Windows 10 and newer, and Ubuntu x86_64. Linux users can also use Flatpak or Snap; source compilation is listed for other architectures such as ARM or PPC. The repository is licensed under GPL-3.0.