WOFF2 vs DFONT: Complete Format Comparison
Comprehensive comparison of WOFF2 and DFONT formats covering optimal web delivery versus legacy Mac desktop, universal browser standard versus platform-specific container, and modern font strategy
In Simple Terms
DFONT is macOS-only legacy format with zero web/cross-platform support. WOFF2 is modern web standard with 97%+ browser support globally.Use WOFF2 for all web projects (68% smaller than uncompressed fonts). DFONT only for legacy Mac desktop—convert to TTF for cross-platform use.Conversion path: DFONT → TTF (desktop) → WOFF2 (web). WOFF2 delivers best compression (53 KB) with universal browser compatibility.
In this article
WOFF2 (Web Open Font Format 2) and DFONT (Data Fork Font) serve completely different purposes in modern typography, with WOFF2 being the optimal web font delivery standard achieving 68% compression and DFONT being a macOS-specific desktop font container from Apple's OS X transition era. WOFF2, standardized by W3C in 2018, uses Brotli compression with font-specific preprocessing to deliver OpenType/TrueType fonts over the web at 53 KB for typical Latin fonts, with 97%+ browser support across all platforms and devices. DFONT, created by Apple in 2001 during Mac OS X's launch, stores TrueType font data in Unix-compatible data fork format (moving from resource forks), working exclusively on macOS with zero web compatibility and no support on Windows, Linux, or mobile platforms.
The fundamental distinction is purpose and deployment context: WOFF2 is for universal web font delivery (websites, web applications) with cross-platform browser compatibility, while DFONT is for macOS desktop installation with single-platform desktop use only. WOFF2 achieves 97%+ browser coverage globally, serving billions of users daily with optimal file sizes and fast network transfer. DFONT works exclusively on macOS desktop—cannot be used in any web browser, on Windows/Linux systems, or on mobile devices. Both formats can contain identical TrueType font data with the same glyphs and metrics; the difference is packaging, compression, and intended deployment. Modern macOS fully supports standard OTF/TTF files, making DFONT a legacy format maintained primarily for backward compatibility with older Mac software from the early 2000s.
This comprehensive guide compares WOFF2 and DFONT to clarify their distinct, non-overlapping roles in modern font workflows. You'll learn the technical specifications showing WOFF2's Brotli web optimization versus DFONT's desktop-only structure, use cases demonstrating WOFF2 for web deployment and DFONT for legacy Mac desktop systems, platform compatibility showing WOFF2's universality versus DFONT's Mac-exclusive limitation, complete workflow guidance for converting desktop fonts to web delivery, and modern recommendations for managing fonts across both desktop and web contexts. Whether building websites requiring optimal web fonts or managing Mac font libraries, this guide provides essential knowledge about these formats' complementary but fundamentally separate purposes.
Format Overview
WOFF2 (Web Open Font Format 2)
History and Purpose:
- • Developed by Google (Brotli), Mozilla, others (2014)
- • W3C Recommendation (2018)
- • Next-generation web font compression
- • Universal web delivery standard
- • Primary format for modern websites
Technical Characteristics:
- • Brotli compression with preprocessing
- • 60-70% size reduction vs uncompressed
- • Optimized for HTTP/HTTPS transfer
- • Contains TrueType or PostScript data
- • Extension: .woff2
Current Status (2025):
- • Primary web font format (97%+ browsers)
- • Active standard, optimal performance
- • File size: ~53 KB (typical Latin font)
- • Use case: All modern web font delivery
DFONT (Data Fork Font)
History and Purpose:
- • Created by Apple (2001) for Mac OS X
- • Transition from Classic Mac OS resource forks
- • Moved TrueType data to Unix-compatible data fork
- • Designed exclusively for desktop installation
- • Legacy format in modern macOS
Technical Characteristics:
- • Contains identical TrueType data to TTF
- • Data fork container with resource map
- • Uncompressed desktop format
- • Can contain multiple font faces
- • Extension: .dfont
Current Status (2025):
- • macOS-only desktop format
- • Legacy, use OTF/TTF for new work
- • File size: ~150-300 KB (uncompressed)
- • Use case: Legacy Mac desktop only
Completely Different Purposes
WOFF2 and DFONT serve non-overlapping use cases:
- WOFF2: Web font delivery, browsers, HTTP, all platforms, compressed (53 KB)
- DFONT: macOS desktop, Finder, local use, Mac only, uncompressed (150-300 KB)
- No overlap: DFONT doesn't work on web; WOFF2 can't be installed as desktop font
- Modern workflow: Use OTF/TTF for desktop, convert to WOFF2 for web
Technical Differences
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | WOFF2 | DFONT |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | Web font delivery | Desktop installation |
| Platform Support | All browsers, all OS | macOS only |
| Compression | Brotli (60-70%) | None |
| File Size | 53 KB (optimal web) | ~150-300 KB |
| Web Compatibility | Yes (97%+ browsers) | No (never supported) |
| Desktop Install | No (web only) | Yes (macOS) |
| Font Data | TrueType/OpenType | TrueType (same data) |
| Standard | W3C open standard | Apple proprietary |
| Modern Status | Primary web standard | Legacy, use OTF/TTF |
Same Font Data, Different Contexts
Both formats can contain identical TrueType font data:
- Same glyphs: Identical visual appearance and shapes
- Same metrics: Identical spacing, kerning, line height
- Same features: Identical OpenType capabilities
- Difference: WOFF2 adds Brotli compression + web metadata
- Result: WOFF2 is 65% smaller (53 KB vs 150 KB) for web delivery
WOFF2 Web Optimization
- • Brotli compression: 16 MB dictionary, 68% reduction
- • Font preprocessing: Glyph transformation before compression
- • Network optimized: Minimal bandwidth, fast transfer
- • Browser native: Fast decompression built-in
- • Goal: Smallest file, fastest load, best web UX
DFONT Desktop Storage
- • Uncompressed: Direct OS access, no decompression
- • Local filesystem: Optimized for desktop use
- • Resource map: Multiple faces in one file
- • macOS native: Finder recognition and installation
- • Goal: Desktop apps, local rendering, Mac compatibility
Use Cases and Platforms
Always Use WOFF2 For:
- • Websites: All public websites and landing pages
- • Web applications: SPAs, PWAs, dashboards, SaaS products
- • Email templates: HTML emails requiring custom fonts
- • Mobile web: iOS Safari, Android Chrome, all mobile browsers
- • Any web content: Accessed via HTTP/HTTPS by users globally
Why: 97%+ browser support, optimal compression (53 KB), fastest loading, works everywhere.
When You Encounter DFONT:
- • macOS system fonts: Some bundled Apple fonts
- • Legacy Mac software: Applications from early 2000s Mac OS X
- • Classic Mac archives: Font collections from pre-modern era
- • Old documents: InDesign/Illustrator files from 2001-2010 era
Action: Convert DFONT to OTF/TTF for universal desktop, then to WOFF2 for web.
Don't Use DFONT For:
- • Web projects: Zero browser support, completely incompatible
- • New desktop work: Use standard OTF/TTF instead
- • Cross-platform projects: Windows/Linux cannot read DFONT
- • File sharing: Recipients on other platforms won't have access
- • Modern workflows: Industry standard is OTF/TTF, not DFONT
Platform Compatibility
Platform Support Matrix
| Platform | WOFF2 | DFONT |
|---|---|---|
| Web Browsers (All) | ✓ (97%+) | ✗ |
| Windows Desktop | ~ | ✗ |
| macOS Desktop | ~ | ✓ |
| Linux Desktop | ~ | ✗ |
| iOS/iPadOS | ✓ (Safari) | ✗ |
| Android | ✓ (Chrome) | ✗ |
~ = WOFF2 works in browsers on that OS, but cannot be installed as desktop font
✓ = Full support for intended use case
✗ = No support
Critical Understanding
WOFF2 is for web browsers only, not desktop installation:
- • Cannot install WOFF2 in Windows Fonts folder
- • Cannot install WOFF2 in macOS Font Book
- • Photoshop, Word, InDesign won't recognize WOFF2 files
- • WOFF2 only works via @font-face in CSS/HTML
- • For desktop apps: Use OTF/TTF, not WOFF2
- • For web delivery: Use WOFF2, not desktop formats
Workflow and Conversion
Complete Modern Font Workflow
- Start with OTF/TTF: Universal desktop format (source files)
- Desktop installation: Install OTF/TTF on your computer
- Design work: Use in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Sketch
- For web deployment: Convert OTF/TTF to WOFF2 (primary)
- Add fallback: Also convert to WOFF for older browsers
- Upload to server: Place WOFF2/WOFF in /fonts/ directory
- Implement @font-face: CSS declarations for web use
- Never mix contexts: Don't use WOFF2 for desktop or DFONT for web
Converting DFONT to Web Fonts
If you have DFONT files and need web fonts:
- DFONT → TTF: Extract TrueType data using FontForge
- TTF → WOFF2: Convert using FontTools or online converter
- TTF → WOFF: Create fallback version for older browsers
- Result: Web-ready fonts from legacy Mac desktop format
Tools: FontForge (DFONT extraction), FontTools (WOFF2 conversion), font-converters.com (online)
Modern Web Font Implementation
/* Optimal web font implementation (2025) */
@font-face {
font-family: 'MyFont';
src: url('/fonts/font.woff2') format('woff2'),
url('/fonts/font.woff') format('woff');
font-weight: 400;
font-style: normal;
font-display: swap;
}
body {
font-family: 'MyFont', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;
}
/* Key points:
- WOFF2 primary (97%+, 53 KB, best)
- WOFF fallback (99%+, 90 KB)
- font-display: swap prevents invisible text
- Source: OTF/TTF desktop fonts, not DFONT
- Result: 99%+ browser coverage, optimal UX */Modern Recommendations
Universal Font Strategy:
- Desktop fonts: Use OTF/TTF (universal, all platforms, 150-300 KB)
- Web fonts: Use WOFF2 + WOFF (universal browsers, 53 KB + 90 KB)
- Source files: Keep OTF/TTF as master, generate web formats
- Avoid DFONT: Mac-only, use standard OTF/TTF instead
- Clear separation: Desktop formats ≠ web formats, different purposes
Format Selection Matrix
| Scenario | Best Format |
|---|---|
| Website/web application | WOFF2 + WOFF |
| Desktop design work (any OS) | OTF or TTF |
| Cross-platform project | OTF or TTF |
| Legacy Mac system (pre-2010) | DFONT (if required) |
| New Mac project (2025) | OTF or TTF, not DFONT |
Best Practices Checklist
- ☐ Use OTF/TTF for all desktop font needs
- ☐ Use WOFF2 + WOFF for all web font delivery
- ☐ Keep desktop and web fonts in separate workflows
- ☐ Convert DFONT to OTF/TTF for universal desktop compatibility
- ☐ Never attempt to install WOFF2 as desktop font
- ☐ Never attempt to use DFONT on web (won't work)
- ☐ Store OTF/TTF as source files, generate WOFF2/WOFF for web
- ☐ Test web fonts in browsers, not desktop apps
- ☐ Test desktop fonts in apps, not browsers
- ☐ Document font sources, licenses, and conversion workflows
Summary: WOFF2 vs DFONT
WOFF2 and DFONT serve completely different purposes with zero overlap. WOFF2 is the optimal web font standard (W3C 2018) with 97%+ browser support across all platforms, using Brotli compression for 53 KB files and fast HTTP delivery. DFONT is Apple's macOS-specific desktop container (2001) that stores TrueType data in data fork format, working only on macOS desktop with zero web compatibility. Both can contain identical TrueType data—the difference is purpose (web vs desktop), compression (Brotli vs none), and platform (universal vs Mac-only).
Use WOFF2 (primary) and WOFF (fallback) exclusively for web fonts on websites and applications. Use OTF/TTF for desktop installation across all platforms. DFONT is a legacy Mac format that should be converted to OTF/TTF for modern desktop work. Never try to use WOFF2 for desktop installation or DFONT for web delivery—they're designed for fundamentally different contexts. Modern workflow: obtain OTF/TTF fonts, install for desktop design work, convert to WOFF2/WOFF for web deployment. Clear separation between desktop (OTF/TTF) and web (WOFF2/WOFF) ensures optimal performance and universal compatibility.
Written & Verified by
Sarah Mitchell
Product Designer, Font Specialist
WOFF2 vs DFONT FAQs
Common questions answered about this font format comparison