https://github.com/molarmanful/kirsch
A versatile bitmap font with an organic flair.
https://github.com/molarmanful/kirsch
bitmap bitmap-font design font open-source pixel-font programming-font typography
Last synced: about 1 month ago
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A versatile bitmap font with an organic flair.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/molarmanful/kirsch
- Owner: molarmanful
- License: ofl-1.1
- Created: 2024-02-20T22:02:47.000Z (about 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-03-31T15:51:08.000Z (about 1 month ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-03-31T17:01:38.010Z (about 1 month ago)
- Topics: bitmap, bitmap-font, design, font, open-source, pixel-font, programming-font, typography
- Language: Nix
- Homepage:
- Size: 13.6 MB
- Stars: 95
- Watchers: 2
- Forks: 1
- Open Issues: 11
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
- Authors: AUTHORS
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README
## Table of Contents
- [Table of Contents](#table-of-contents)
- [Overview](#overview)
- [Gallery](#gallery)
- [Installation](#installation)
- [Nixpkgs](#nixpkgs)
- [Nix Flakes](#nix-flakes)
- [Web](#web)
- [Design Notes](#design-notes)
- [Flourishes](#flourishes)
- [Gaps](#gaps)
- [Contributing](#contributing)
- [Credits](#credits)
- [Licensing](#licensing)
## Overview
**kirsch** /ˈkɪərʃ/ _n._
1. _(German)_ cherry.
1. _(Russell A. Kirsch, 1929 - 2020)_ American engineer recognized as the
developer of the first digital image scanner and the inventor of the pixel.
1. A monospace bitmap font with a 6x16 bounding box (5px avg width, 4px descent,
12px ascent, 5px x-height, 9px cap height). It draws from a variety of
letterforms and motifs to create a distinct humanist feel at a compact size.
Some glyphs come from [Cozette](https://github.com/slavfox/Cozette), often
with modifications to adhere to kirsch's design.
## Gallery
Glyphs
Glyphs Map
Samples
## Installation
Download from [Releases](https://github.com/molarmanful/kirsch/releases).
Included are bitmap formats - OTB, BDF, PCF, DFONT (for Mac users) - as well as
TTF. 2x versions are available for HiDPI screens. Note that PCF doesn't contain
glyphs past U+FFFF.
For the crispiest viewing experience, try to use the bitmap formats when
possible. If bitmap fonts are not supported on your platform (e.g. Windows,
VSCode), then use the TTF at font sizes that are multiples of 16px.
> **Quick Tip**: If you need font size in pt, use the following conversion:
>
> `pt = px * 72 / dpi`
>
> e.g. 16px on a 96dpi screen is `16px * 72 / 96dpi = 12pt`.
Patched Nerd Fonts are available. The "Mono" variant uses smaller glyphs
(single- instead of double-width) and works for terminals that can't mix widths.
### Nixpkgs
Thanks to [@ejiektpobehuk](https://github.com/ejiektpobehuk), kirsch is
available on Nixpkgs as `kirsch`.
### Nix Flakes
kirsch releases are also pushed to
[FlakeHub](https://flakehub.com/flake/molarmanful/ANAKRON). `kirsch` (aliased to
`default`) is the base package, while `kirsch-nerd` includes Nerd Fonts patches.
### Web
I would generally discourage usage of kirsch on the web due to lack of bitmap
support. But for the stubborn and the brave, WOFF2 is available. There is also a
[CDN-hosted stylesheet](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/kirsch@latest/kirsch.css)
for convenience.
```html
```
## Design Notes
Unlike my previous font [eldur](https://github.com/molarmanful/eldur), which had
a mere 4px avg. char width to work with, kirsch has a 5px avg. char width. That
1px of extra width affords a surprising amount of leeway for the design. Far
more glyphs fit comfortably into 5px width - e.g. "m" and "w" - meaning that
those glyphs won't break kerning and intrude on the spaces of neighboring
glyphs. Glyphs that don't fit into 5px width can now work with 7px width, which
maintains balance and legibility without affecting kerning too negatively.
### Flourishes
The flourishes - e.g. in "i" or "f" - are a stylistic choice, but they also
serve a functional purpose. Without the flourishes, "i" would take up 1px of
width, leaving 4px of awkward space. 2px flourishes on each side of the "i" give
it a 5px width, thereby addressing the kerning issue in a stylish way.
In "l"'s case, the script-style flourishes further distinguish it from other
vertical characters like `1I|`.
### Gaps
One of kirsch's distinctive features is the presence of a gap at the bowls of
the letters. Filling in the gap would make the letters either too square or too
bunched-up, while leaving the gap open declutters the letterforms. The gaps also
evoke script-style stroke endings.
## Contributing
Issues, feature/glyph requests, and pull requests are all welcome!
## Credits
These are projects that have inspired/helped me create kirsch and are 100% worth
checking out.
- [Bits'n'Picas](https://github.com/kreativekorp/bitsnpicas)
- [Cozette](https://github.com/slavfox/Cozette)
- [Cyreal Font Testing Page](http://www.cyreal.org/Font-Testing-Page/)
- [W3 UTF-8 Demo](https://www.w3.org/2001/06/utf-8-test/UTF-8-demo.html) /
[Markus Kuhn UTF-8 Demo](https://antofthy.gitlab.io/info/data/utf8-demo.txt)
- [APL386](https://abrudz.github.io/APL386)
## Licensing
Made with ♥ by [the kirsch Project Authors](AUTHORS). Released under the OFL-1.1
License.