Writing a Guide to SDF Fonts
4 hours ago
- #search optimization
- #graphics programming
- #SDF fonts
- Learned about SDF (signed distance field) rendering of fonts in 2024 for game and map generator projects.
- Incomplete notes on SDF fonts unexpectedly ranked high in search results by late 2025.
- Decided to create a comprehensive page to replace the incomplete notes as the top search result.
- Initially planned an overview page covering multiple SDF font libraries (msdfgen, stb_truetype, tiny-sdf).
- Reduced scope to focus on msdfgen due to complexity and time constraints.
- Created diagrams and ran tests to analyze parameters like atlas size and antialias width.
- Pivoted to a 'how to' page with JavaScript and GPU rendering implementations.
- Finalized a 'concepts' page focusing on desired effects and SDF functionality, removing implementation details.
- Published a polished page aimed at becoming the top search result for SDF fonts.