Evaluate Font Quality Before Use
Test a font's kerning with word samples before committing. Poor kerning (uneven letter spacing) signals low quality. Prefer reputable foundries and distributors; never use pirated fonts.
Incorrect (unvetted free font from an aggregator):
@font-face {
font-family: 'CoolFreeFont';
/* Downloaded from a free-fonts aggregator: no kerning pairs,
missing accents and figure styles, unknown license */
src: url('/fonts/coolfreefont.woff2') format('woff2');
}Correct (vetted face from a reputable source):
@font-face {
font-family: 'Source Serif 4';
/* Adobe-designed, SIL OFL: full kerning, complete glyph set,
verified at https://fonts.google.com */
src: url('/fonts/SourceSerif4-Variable.woff2') format('woff2');
}How to evaluate:
- Set it in body text; look for uneven spacing in pairs like T+y, A+V, W+a
- Check punctuation positioning relative to letters
- Verify all needed glyphs (accents, special characters, figure styles)
- Confirm the license covers web use
Reputable sources, commercial: Adobe Fonts, Hoefler&Co, Commercial Type, Klim, Grilli Type; open source: Google Fonts, Font Squirrel (with verification), fonts.bunny.net; variable fonts: v-fonts.com.