TTF vs OTF
This a small dive into fonts and how to better use fonts how they work with design applications. Then learn about if you should use OTF or TTF
TTF
TTF stands for True Type Font. It was simply a way of being able to be the first beginnings between Microsoft and Apple to allow both platforms to share fonts and there to be standardization for how fonts where displayed between both systems.
OTF
OTF stands for Open Type Font. This builds on top of the foundation that TTF created but allows for greater flexibility for adding multiple font weights into 1 font file that could be 9 separate font files without cluttering up your font selection list. You can even have individual letters that are completely different within the 1 font file they are called:
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Ligatures
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Glyphs
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Small caps
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Alternate characters
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Old-style figure
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OTF has the ability to store over 60,000+ characters within the same file for that one font that your using.
Ligatures is simply 2 or more letters being tightly packed together. Think of AE being Æ.
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Glyphs are extruded lines for a single character. Think of how calligraphy has long wispy lines.
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Old-style figures is essentially the extra control that can allow you to have a single font that can allow you to say I want this font to have serifs on a non-serif font.
What are Serifs?
Everyday fonts that you read today are sans-serif in there design language.
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Serifs are used for emphasis and to stand out with being used as a title that is telling you the subject matter of a paragraph you will be reading. Serif fonts in the early days for everyday newspapers and the printing press had a difficult time with smearing and letters being to close to each other do to trying to use them in smaller writhing for paragraphs.
OTF is King
Compared to what TTF was able to do in the 1980's and bring 2 different platforms to the same level and have something in common.
OTF gives you higher customizability with your fonts and how you may want to edit when using them, if your a designer then your really going to want to start using fonts if they provide a TTF and OTF just use the OTF standard.
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop has great features for text. Photoshop doesn't let you access the raw vector data of the font that Illustrator does but you can rasterize the bitmap data if the other person that your sending your PSD to doesn't have the font on there machine but you lose editable ability same for creating outlines in Illustrator.
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe illustrator allows you to pick apart fonts wether there a True Type Font or a Open Type Font. Both formats are based on vector points. With Ai your able to create Outlines from fonts and then manipulate those individual points to then allow you to create a custom letter with in that font your editing. When you create the type it is that you want to create then theres no going back and being able to have the easy type-able editing that you want to do.
Converting type to outlines with in the vector editor is great for if the person that your sending the file to that may not have the font installed on there machine, it still comes with the major downside that you won't be able to still type with the same font it was created with.