Persian language and pending typefaces

[amir2mi]

There is a delay here about the Persian language for Google Fonts. Since 2016 Persian users have opened issues about adding Persian typefaces and those issues are left without any attention.

In the first place let me say there are some differences between Arabic and Persian characters.

Numbers:

Arabic has different 4,5,6 numbers to Persian:

Alphabet:

Arabic:

Persian:

Arabic alphabet does not include

پ ژ گ چ

and some other characters, though a few Arabic typefaces, have them as well; (Lalezar in Google fonts).

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We have had requests to add Persian fonts (open-source ones) #1997 #2622 #2975.

These are typefaces created by @rastikerdar which are open-source and as I read here, I think there is no problem to have them in Google Fonts to all the world find and use them easily:

Vazir:

The most requested typeface here in the Google Fonts Github repository.

Vazir Code:

Let's call it Monospace Vazir that is optimized for programmers.

Sahel [Variable]

Shabnam

Parastoo

Samim

Gandom

Nahid

Tanha

Estedad by @aminabedi68

I hope it clears the other issues request and if there is any problem let us know to make the situation proper for publishing these typefaces in Google Fonts.

[amir2mi]

If it is possible let's talk about it: @davelab6, @felipesanches, @m4rc1e @tomasdev @chrissimpkins @anthrotype @marekjez86 @behdad . Thanks in advance.

[thlinard]

Hi,

I've tested the ۴۵۶ پ ژ گ چ sequence on the 21 Arabic typefaces on Google Fonts, only two failed the test: Tajawal and Mada.

Surely, more diversity would be appreciable (and a fifth Arabic VF wouldn't be too much). And beyond the needs of Persian (Sharmukhi for example https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shahmukhi_alphabet).

[amir2mi]

@thlinard Thank you for replying, yes hopefully those in Google Fonts support Persian characters as well but I'm talking generally. Users will be confused whether typefaces they have chosen support Persian glyphs or not until they check it. Apart from this, some of them are too small with Latin and some do not give a stable result for any size.

A pen that I have created for this comparison.

https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/64708228/117574717-a5cab980-b0f3-11eb-9f93-c72c93d0f2c0.mp4

[davelab6]

Thanks Amir. GF have a big queue of fonts to add, and those that GF commissioned get priority. We have accelerated our pace so I hope we can onboard these this year :)

[amir2mi]

@davelab6 Thanks! without any doubt, I would say your efforts will improve many Persian and Arabic users' experiences and we appreciate that!

[bmamouri]

@davelab6 any news on this? Google Doc is amazing, but it is pretty unusable for any serious work without proper Persian fonts.

[AliKhomami]

@davelab6 any news on this? Google Doc is amazing, but it is pretty unusable for any serious work without proper Persian fonts.

Vazirmatn (the new Vazir) is now available on Google Fonts (but not yet usable in Figma or Google Docs). https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Vazirmatn?query=vazir

[behdad]

I've tested the ۴۵۶ پ ژ گ چ sequence on the 21 Arabic typefaces on Google Fonts, only two failed the test: Tajawal and Mada.

@khaledhosny Can those be fixed in Mada?

[khaledhosny]

I've tested the ۴۵۶ پ ژ گ چ sequence on the 21 Arabic typefaces on Google Fonts, only two failed the test: Tajawal and Mada.

@khaledhosny Can those be fixed in Mada?

The version on Google Fonts is too old, but a new Mada release is long overdue...

[amir1376irani]

any updates on this?

[eliheuer]

I can't make any promises, but I'm going to try moving some of these forward next year.

There is documentation for how to add a font to Google Fonts here if anyone else wants to try adding one of these: https://googlefonts.github.io/gf-guide/

[chrissimpkins]

Thanks for the suggestion! Added to our Q1 2024 onboarding queue.