Better fonts on Linux

[deleted]

Since the GNOME 3.32 upgrade broke my fonts, I found this invaluable post regarding fonts on Linux: The sad state of font rendering on Linux

Shannon (GNOME Edition) had good default fonts, but PandaSauce recommends even better fonts.

1. Download Google Noto Fonts

From the above link, download:

Noto Sans Display
Noto Serif
Noto Mono

Then unpack the fonts to ~/.fonts:

mkdir -p ~/.fonts
cd ~/Downloads
unzip <package>.zip
mv *.ttf ~/.fonts

2. Use the fonts on your DE/WM

Since this tutorial is focused on GNOME, open gnome-tweaks. Set the following options:

Hinting: Slight
Anti-aliasing: Subpixel
Window Titles: Noto Sans Display Regular 11
Interface: Noto Sans Display Regular 10
Documents: Noto Serif Regular 11
Monospace: Noto Mono Regular 13

3. Modify the font choice and size to your preference

For example, I have modified:

Interface: Noto Sans Display Regular 11
Documents: Noto Sans Display Regular 11

4. Change the monospace font in your terminal emulator, text editor, IDE

In gnome-terminal, I use Noto Mono Regular 16.

5. Change the fonts for other applications, such as web browsers

In Firefox:

Open Preferences
Language and Appearance > Fonts & Colours > Advanced
Proportional: Sans Serif (Size: 16)
Serif: Noto Serif (or Noto Sans Display)
Sans: Noto Sans Display
Monospace: Noto Mono (Size: 12)

Again, modify the fonts and sizes to your preference. In Firefox, you can elect to (dis)allow websites to override your font choices.

6. Enjoy!

I don't think screenshots do these fonts justice; I'll leave it up to you to experiment.

These fonts shine on my 1440p monitor. I hope you enjoy them, too!

Staudey

Just fyi, the Noto fonts are already in the Solus repository. (at least Noto Sans, Noto Serif and Noto Mono are; not quite sure about Noto Sans Display)

Girtablulu

Staudey nope noto sans display is not inside the package noto-sans-TTF package

[deleted]

Girtablulu Tweaks couldn't find Noto Serif or Noto Mono, though I had noto-sans-ttf installed. Likely just an issue on my end.

Seemingly can't edit the OP to reflect this, pity.

Tourette

Product Sans is better for me

[deleted]

Tourette Interestingly, Product Sans does not have a free license. The legality using it personally is dubious, as per this comment on BEfonts.com.

I can't see Google caring, but you know...

Tourette

[deleted] I don't care about what Google thinks, cos they don't care what we think.

Google is the enemy of the internet.

Lucien_Lachance

dejavu sans book size 8, full hinting has been my preference for eons. whenever i try something else i always end up going back

brent

Tourette Logged in to like this comment. If SP and Duck weren't so inept sometimes...

Justin

Tourette/brent Let's keep this on topic, shall we?

bkdwt

Hey man, many thanks for this post. I'll have configured these fonts and the difference on 1440p screen is very notable. Only on Firefox I prefer windows fonts by default, like Firefox on Windows.

Bruce-McL

I like Open Sans on low and medium resolution screens. There is a hinted version.

https://github.com/googlefonts/opensans

Ubuntu is in the repository. I find it to be very readable as well.

JohannPopper

I hope this isn't a necro too far, but I had to reply that these recommended settings from the above article really are quite impressive on a range of hardware I've tried. Actually, you'll notice in the article the author recommends 'slight' hinting generally, but he personally uses 'full' on v38. Crystal clear, minimal corruption. Perhaps Solus should consider making these setting default for the next GNOME iso, if confirmed via testing the UX.

[EDIT] To be precise, I'm referring to the Shell interface font only. I kept Solus' default Hack for monospace text, and of course the repo has a range of quality monospace fonts.