PostScriptCFFOutlines

PostScriptCFFOutlines refers to font outlines that are encoded using the Compact Font Format (CFF) with a PostScript-style drawing model. In these fonts, glyph contours are defined by cubic Bézier curves and are encoded using Type 2 CharStrings. This distinguishes them from TrueType outlines, which use quadratic Bézier curves stored in the glyf table, and from older Type 1 outlines that followed a different encoding scheme.

CFF-based outlines are commonly found in OpenType fonts that carry a CFF or CFF2 data table. The CFF format provides a compact, scriptable representation of glyphs and supports advanced hinting and subroutine-based encoding, which can reduce file size and improve rendering performance on various platforms. Because the outlines are defined with cubic curves, they align with the PostScript drawing model used by printers and PDF workflows.

In practice, font tooling and rendering engines may label a font as having PostScriptCFFOutlines to indicate that its glyphs rely on CFF/CFF2 data rather than TrueType outlines. This distinction can influence font conversion, embedding permissions, and rendering behavior across applications and operating systems. While both CFF and TrueType fonts achieve similar visual results, the underlying outline representations and encoding differ, which can affect compatibility and hinting strategies.

Overall, PostScriptCFFOutlines describe a class of font outlines rooted in the PostScript/CFF lineage, characterized by cubic Bézier contours encoded in CharStrings and typically found in OpenType fonts that use the CFF/CFF2 outline data.