Google Releases Its New Google Sans Flex Font as Open Source
a day ago
- #typography
- #linux
- #open-source
- Google has released Google Sans Flex, a next-generation typeface, under an open-source license.
- Google Sans Flex is a modern sans-serif font designed for screens and operating systems, rebuilt from Google Sans by typographer David Berlow.
- The font is a variable font with flexible axes for weight, width, optical size, slant, and rounded terminals.
- Android and web developers can use the variable axes for expressive design work.
- Linux desktop environments currently support only basic variable font features, lacking advanced functionality like automatic GRAD axis adjustments for Dark Mode.
- Google Sans Flex works well as a system UI font on Linux, especially on HiDPI displays.
- The font is available under the SIL Open Font License (OFL), allowing modification and redistribution.
- To install, download from Google Fonts, extract the .ttf file, and place it in the fonts directory or use a font manager.
- On Ubuntu, use GNOME Tweaks to set Google Sans Flex as the UI font, though variable options may not render fully.