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Tooling Suggestion: Using Fontra for real-time Variable Font editing #2

@t4rik

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@t4rik

Hi @phaylali,

I’ve been following the OmniversifyFont project and I’m really impressed by the mission to bridge Latin, Arabic, and Tifinagh scripts into a cohesive variable font. Given the technical complexity of managing three distinct scripts with unique shaping requirements, I wanted to suggest a tool that might streamline your production workflow: Fontra.

Fontra is an open-source, browser-based font editor that seems uniquely suited for a project with this kind of scope. Here is why it could be a game-changer for Omniversify:

Real-time "No-Build" Workflow: It eliminates the build bottleneck by updating the font binary in real-time as you edit. You can proof the Latin, Arabic, and Tifinagh shapes instantly in the browser without constant exporting.

Variable-First Architecture: Since Omniversify is a variable font, Fontra’s design makes managing interpolation axes across different scripts much more intuitive than traditional desktop editors.

Handling Complex Design Spaces: Fontra uses a high-performance Rust-powered backend to handle massive data, which is perfect for the intricate ligatures and script variations required for Arabic and Tifinagh.

Collaborative & Open Standards: It uses standard formats like UFO and DesignSpace, ensuring the project remains transparent and accessible to contributors across any OS.

Given your background in building modern tech solutions, I think you’d appreciate Fontra's extensible, server-client architecture.

You can check out the source here: https://github.com/fontra/ or explore the documentation at https://docs.fontra.xyz/.

Keep up the great work—it’s a beautiful contribution to the multilingual type community!

Best regards,

TARIK

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