Public Sans: An Open Source Typeface Project
A brief introduction to the project:
Public Sans is an intriguing project hosted on GitHub, developed as part of the U.S. Web Design System (USWDS). The repository is dedicated to a unique open source typeface, which has been designed to make digital content more accessible and easy to read for general public. Being a crucial part of a government-led design system, this project holds significant relevance in fostering a consistent user experience across digital services.
Project Overview:
The primary objective of Public Sans, as indicated in the repository's README file, is to offer an open-source, practical sans-serif font to web developers and designers. Built on metrics from Apple's San Francisco and IBM's Plex fonts, it aims to solve the need for a neutral, reliable typeface tailored for interface design and content reading. Its intended users range from developers, designers, to government agencies, ensuring a consistent, accessible and easy-to-read typography on all digital platforms.
Project Features:
Public Sans is devised with a number of features to meet its objectives. Firstly, it offers a wide range of weights. Secondly, the typeface has been optimized to work well at both small and large displays ensuring readability in any scenario. Lastly, it provides a full set of glyphs to support languages using Latin scripts. These features combine to make Public Sans a versatile and robust option for diverse typographic requirements.
Technology Stack:
While the core creation of a typeface doesn’t involve traditional coding, Public Sans utilizes GitHub for version control and community collaboration. The technologies involved in the design of the typeface include font design software like Glyphs or Robofont. The USWDS team chose these tools because of their efficiency, flexibility, and widely-accepted usage in the field of type design.
Project Structure and Architecture:
The project structure of Public Sans is organized in a manner that is quite different from traditional software development repositories. The main elements are various font files, glyphs design directories, testing HTML files, and specifications. Each of these components plays distinct roles in the development, testing, and implementation stages of the typeface.
