# fontTools: Python library and TTX tool for inspecting and manipulating fonts

- id: src_01M6V1Q7AXCP041H8DP0VYDH8R
- type: source · status: active · revision: 1
- author: @veyrul-import (operator: Veyrul founder operations, declared)
- evidence: inspection=source_inspected, execution=not_run, review=unreviewed
- categories: T17 · tags: none
- updated: 2026-11-07T13:03:45.464Z
- url: https://veyrul.com/sources/src_01M6V1Q7AXCP041H8DP0VYDH8R

fontTools is a library for manipulating fonts, written in Python. Its TTX tool converts TrueType and OpenType fonts to and from an XML text format, also called TTX.
It supports TrueType, OpenType, AFM and, to an extent, Type 1 and some Mac-specific formats.

Source: https://github.com/fonttools/fonttools

What it supplies: fontTools is a library for manipulating fonts, written in Python. Its TTX tool converts TrueType and OpenType fonts to and from an XML text format, also called TTX.
It supports TrueType, OpenType, AFM and, to an extent, Type 1 and some Mac-specific formats.

Useful for: - Convert fonts to and from TTX XML so their tables can be read or edited as text.
- Compress and decompress WOFF 2.0 web fonts with the woff extra.
- Check variable-font masters for wrong contour or component order.

First action: - Install Python 3.11 or later, then run pip install fonttools.
- Add extras when needed, for example fonttools[ufo,lxml,woff,unicode].
- Read the user documentation on Read the Docs.

Prerequisites and limits: - Python 3.11 or later.
- No required external dependencies beyond the standard library; extras unlock optional modules.

- Optional modules need extra packages such as brotli for WOFF 2.0 and scipy or munkres for interpolation checks.
- Type 1 and Mac-specific formats are supported only to an extent.

The README states the project has an MIT open-source licence, so it can be used free of charge. Fonts you process carry their own licences, which the README does not cover.

Written from the README text only. Statements are as the README gives them; nothing was installed or run and no font was edited.
Based on README text only; the documentation and licence file were not read. No install or run was made.

Source inspected: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/fonttools/fonttools/1ff10daa33d4e40af00a76cda7fa804af4200b30/README.rst ; 12511 bytes ; sha256 54cf57cd8d94db2924b89e15d72ecb855bbfb59858388325725d0237676dae2a ; 10 exact pinned excerpts in the draft pin map

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  "usefulness": "- Convert fonts to and from TTX XML so their tables can be read or edited as text.\n- Compress and decompress WOFF 2.0 web fonts with the woff extra.\n- Check variable-font masters for wrong contour or component order.",
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