Fonts are a fundamental part of digital communication, especially in multilingual environments like India where Hindi, Punjabi, and other regional languages are widely used. In IT systems, fonts are not just about appearance—they define how text is encoded, stored, displayed, and shared across platforms.

This article provides a detailed technical understanding of:

• Font typing systems (Remington vs Phonetic vs Unicode)

• Font file formats (TTF, OTF, PFB, PFM)

• Compatibility, usage, and practical differences

1. What is a Font?

A font is a set of characters (glyphs) with a specific style and encoding. It defines how text appears on screen or in print.

Font Categories

• Serif (e.g., Times New Roman)

• Sans-serif (e.g., Arial)

• Monospace (e.g., Courier New)

• Display/Decorative

2. Remington (Legacy / Typewriter-Based Fonts)

Definition

Remington fonts are legacy non-Unicode fonts based on typewriter keyboard layouts.

Examples

• Kruti Dev

• Devlys

• Chanakya

Key Characteristics

• Characters are mapped to ASCII codes (not actual Unicode Hindi letters)

• Each font uses its own encoding → not standardized

• Requires specific font installed to read correctly

Advantages

• Fast typing for trained typists

• Widely used in government offices (older systems)

Disadvantages

• Not web-compatible

• Copy-paste issues

• Data corruption when font missing

3. Phonetic Fonts (Input Method Based)

Definition

Phonetic typing allows users to type Indian languages using English keyboard sounds.

Examples

• Google Input Tools

• Indic Input

• Baraha

How It Works

Typing: namaste → Output: नमस्ते

Features

• Easy for beginners

• No need to learn keyboard layout

• Works with Unicode fonts

Usage

• Social media

• Blogging

• Office documentation

4. Unicode Fonts (Modern Standard)

Definition

Unicode is a universal character encoding standard that assigns a unique code to every character.

Examples of Unicode Fonts

• Mangal (Hindi)

• Nirmala UI

• Arial Unicode MS

Key Features

• Cross-platform compatibility

• Web and database friendly

• Supports multilingual text

Advantages

• No font dependency issues

• SEO friendly

• Works in browsers, apps, databases

Example

• Unicode: नमस्ते → Stored as actual Hindi characters

• Legacy: Stored as symbols (like dsoy) depending on font

5. Font File Formats (Technical Structure)

5.1 TTF (TrueType Font)

• Developed by Apple & Microsoft

• Extension: .ttf

• Uses quadratic Bézier curves

Features

• Widely supported

• Good for screen display

• Easy installation

5.2 OTF (OpenType Font)

• Developed by Microsoft & Adobe

• Extension: .otf

Features

• Supports advanced typography

• Ligatures, glyph substitution

• Better for professional design

5.3 PFB & PFM (PostScript Type 1 Fonts)

PFB (Printer Font Binary)

• Contains glyph data

PFM (Printer Font Metrics)

• Contains spacing and metrics

Used By

• Adobe PostScript systems

• Old printing workflows

Limitations

• Obsolete in modern systems

• Requires both files together

6. Key Differences: Remington vs Phonetic vs Unicode

7. Practical Use in IT Industry

Where These Fonts Are Used

• Government offices (legacy → Remington)

• Websites & apps → Unicode

• Typing tools → Phonetic

Migration Trend

• Legacy fonts → Unicode conversion

• Essential for:

  • GST systems

  • Online portals

  • Databases

Common Problems

• Garbled text (legacy fonts)

• Font mismatch errors

• Data migration issues

8. Conversion Between Font Types

Tools

• Kruti Dev ↔ Unicode converters

• Online Hindi converters

• Custom scripts for bulk conversion

Challenges

• Mapping inaccuracies

• Formatting loss

Conclusion

Understanding font types is crucial in IT, especially in multilingual environments. While Remington fonts played a historical role, modern systems rely on Unicode for universal compatibility, with phonetic input methods making typing easier.

For any current or future IT system, Unicode + TTF/OTF fonts are the recommended standard.