Metrically Compatible Fonts

By Xah Lee. Date: .

Metrically Compatible Fonts are fonts that have the same cap height, x-height, ascender height, descender height. That means, you can change the font on a web page without changing font size and the layout and effective font size remains the same.

typography line terms
typography terminology explained
[see Meaning of Font Size]

They are usually automatically substituted by the operating system if one of these is not available.

Metrically Compatible Fonts are created mostly as clones to avoid copyright.

Arial compatible (sans-serif)

Helvetica
Year 1957. On Mac since 1980s.
Arial
Year 1992. Microsoft clone, since Windows 3.1.
Liberation Sans
2007. Linux.
Arimo
Google, ~2013

Calibri compatible (sans-serif)

Calibri
2007. Sans-serif. Arial sequel. Replaced Arial as the default in PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, WordPad. Replaced Times New Roman in Microsoft Office.
Carlito
Google. 2013

Times New Roman compatible (serif)

Times New Roman
Year 1932. On Mac/Windows since 1990s.
Liberation Serif
Linux. 2007
Tinos
Google. 2013

Cambria compatible (serif)

Cambria
Serif. Microsoft Windows and Office, 2007.
Caladea
Google. 2013

Consolas compatible (monospace)

Consolas
Year 2007. Monospace. Microsoft's replacement for Courier New.
Inconsolata
Year 2006. Monospace. Linux.

Courier New compatible (monospace)

Courier New
1970s
Liberation Mono
Linux. 2007
Cousine
Google, 2013

DejaVu Sans Mono compatible (monospace)

Bitstream Vera Sans Mono
Year 2001. Monospace. Open source.
Menlo
Year created: 2009. Monospace. Based on open source DejaVu Sans Mono.
DejaVu Sans Mono
Year created: 2004. Monospace. Based on open source DejaVu Sans Mono.

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