Bitmap fonts use pixels to create symbols called glyphs. They are used for fast loading but are inflexible and scaling reduces quality. Glyphs can be different symbols, not just letters. Different formats of bitmap fonts are used in different software programs.
A bitmap font is a computer font that uses a unit called an image element called a pixel to create symbols called glyphs that make up a total bitmap font. This font is used when a compact, fast-loading font is essential. A bitmap font is sometimes called a raster font. A classic standard in fonts, the bitmap is one of the oldest types of fonts. It was used in dot matrix computers and is still a relevant font in many software programs today.
There are several types of fonts that fall under the category of bitmap fonts. The most common ones include Server Plain Format (SNF), Portable Compiled Format (PCF), Glyph Bitmap Distribution Format (BDF). Typically, different formats for bitmap fonts are used in different software suites, such as the BDF bitmap font format used in software manufactured by Adobe®. Bitmap fonts are used when fonts need to load quickly, but are inflexible, and scaling the image reduces its quality.
The symbols in a font are called glyphs. Glyph refers to a single written character that contributes to the meaning of an overall written piece. A font designer uses a font editor to design fonts and generally designs each glyph individually. Fonts include bitmap font, stroke font, and outline font.
While bitmap fonts are better for fast loading than other fonts, the glyphs of bitmap fonts aren’t scaled uniformly, making the font less convenient for fonts that need to be scaled. With a bitmap font, a font designer must create different fonts so that a computer can render characters of different sizes while maintaining the quality in the images of the characters. Bitmap fonts were most useful on older computer systems that didn’t have the memory and processing power to handle the popular fonts.
Glyphs can be different types of symbols. A letter is a glyph, but not all glyphs are letters because glyph is a broader term that refers to characters and symbols that convey meaning in any written language. In some languages, a small difference such as the dot on a lowercase i may be a glyph because it conveys the difference between different types of lowercase i characters in that language. However, in English, the dot over the lowercase i is not generally considered a glyph because there is no other i to confuse the character with. In fact, the dot over the lowercase i doesn’t make any distinct change to the message, so it’s not a glyph.
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