macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install fontforgeprovider-native install command
brew / rank 1387
Install fontforge with Homebrew
Command-line outline and bitmap font editor/converter. Version 20251009 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Command-line outline and bitmap font editor/converter
Project links
Commands and aliases
- acorn2sfd
- dewoff
- findtable
- fontforge
- fontimage
- fontlint
- pcl2ttf
- pfadecrypt
- rmligamarks
- sfddiff
- showttf
- stripttc
- ttf2eps
- woff
history
Project history and usage
FontForge is a free font editor and converter for creating, editing, inspecting, and converting outline and bitmap fonts across formats such as OpenType, TrueType, UFO, CID-keyed fonts, and Multiple Master fonts.
Project history
FontForge began as PfaEdit, written by George Williams after experiments with Unicode font work and PostScript font editing. The official history says the first web-posted version appeared on November 7, 2000, and that the project moved to SourceForge in April 2001.
PfaEdit expanded quickly: support for pfb, TrueType, BDF, Type 2/OpenType-in-sfnt, CID-keyed fonts, internationalized user interfaces, OpenType GSUB/GPOS features, scripting, FreeType-backed debugging, SVG fonts, and Multiple Master support all arrived in the early 2000s. In March 2004, after users argued that `PfaEdit` no longer described the program, it was renamed FontForge.
The current project is community-maintained. The README describes FontForge as free software for Windows, Mac OS X, and GNU/Linux, and the documentation identifies copyright by George Williams for 2000-2012 and FontForge authors thereafter.
Adoption history
FontForge grew from a personal editor into a community font-engineering tool because it handled many formats and exposed both a graphical interface and scripting. The official history highlights user requests and conference feedback as drivers for features such as SVG fonts, multi-master support, internationalization, and scripting.
Its modern homepage presents downloads, documentation, development links, mailing-list help, and a GitHub organization, reflecting its transition from a SourceForge-era desktop application into a long-lived open-source typography project.
How it is used
Users launch the FontForge GUI for visual font editing, or use bundled command-line utilities such as `fontforge`, `fontlint`, `sfddiff`, `fontimage`, and conversion helpers for automated inspection and conversion workflows.
Why package nerds care
FontForge is package-nerd significant because it is both an application and a toolbox: distributions package it for desktop font designers, automated font QA, format conversion, and build pipelines that need scriptable font manipulation without proprietary editors.
Timeline
- 2000: The first PfaEdit version was posted to the web on November 7.
- 2001: PfaEdit moved to SourceForge and gained Type 2/OpenType-in-sfnt, CID-keyed font, and early internationalization support.
- 2002: PfaEdit gained a scripting interface.
- 2004: PfaEdit was renamed FontForge in March.
- 2012: Copyright stewardship shifted from George Williams to the broader FontForge authors.
- 2025: The official documentation identifies the 20251009 documentation release.
Related projects
- FontForge is related to FreeType, SourceForge-era PfaEdit, Design With FontForge, UFO workflows, OpenType/TrueType tooling, and the wider open-source type-design ecosystem.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:decrypt,image
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
acorn2sfd | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
dewoff | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
findtable | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
fontforge | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
fontimage | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
fontlint | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
pcl2ttf | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
pfadecrypt | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
rmligamarks | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
sfddiff | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
showttf | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
stripttc | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
ttf2eps | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
woff | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-08-03
manager version20251009
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:fontforge |
|---|---|
| Version | 20251009 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://fontforge.github.io |
| Repository | https://github.com/fontforge/fontforge |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation