Web Typography

A practical guide to choosing, pairing, and implementing typefaces for the web. The best typography is invisible — it immerses readers in content rather than calling attention to itself.

Core Principle

Typography is the voice of your content. The typeface you choose sets tone before a single word is read — a legal site shouldn't feel playful; a children's app shouldn't feel corporate. Follow the "clear goblet" principle: typography should be like a crystal-clear wine glass, keeping focus on the wine (content), not the glass (type).

Scoring

Goal: 10/10. Score = number of the 10 Quick Diagnostic rows the implementation satisfies. Bands: 9-10 = body 16px+, measure under 75ch, line-height 1.4+, clear level contrast, font payload under 200KB, fallbacks set, survives 200% zoom; 5-6 = readable but missing measure control, fallbacks, or zoom resilience; <=3 = sub-16px body, no measure cap, FOIT, or unreadable hierarchy. Always state the current score and the specific diagnostic rows failing.

Two Contexts for Type

All typography falls into two categories: