layoutfonts

Layout fonts are typefaces chosen to organize and present content within a page or screen, with emphasis on readability, efficient space use, and a clear typographic hierarchy. They are selected to maintain consistent metrics across sizes and to support predictable line breaks, rhythm, and alignment in editorial and digital layouts.

Key considerations include x-height, cap height, stroke contrast, and overall glyph width. Good layout fonts provide stable kerning and ligatures at common text sizes, strong legibility in narrow columns, and reliable hinting for screen rendering. Many designs pair a body text face with a contrasting display or headline face to create visual hierarchy while preserving harmony across the layout. The choice of leading, line length, and paragraph spacing works in concert with font metrics to optimize readability.

Historically, the term referred to faces used by typesetters to compose pages, distinct from display faces reserved for headlines. In modern practice, layout fonts span traditional print and digital contexts, prioritizing legibility and consistent metrics across devices and sizes. They are not a separate font category, but a design objective applied within typography and typesetting workflows.

Examples of layout-friendly pairings include serif body text such as Garamond or Times New Roman paired with sans-serif headings like Helvetica or Arial; display options like Didot or Bodoni for headlines; and on the web, versatile sans‑serif families such as Open Sans or Roboto can serve in layout roles. See also typography, typesetting, and font pairing.