Web-safe fonts rely on formats ensuring broad browser compatibility without requiring downloads. Formats like WOFF (Web Open Font Format) and its successor WOFF2 are specifically designed for the web, offering compression for faster loading. While legacy formats like TrueType (TTF) and OpenType (OTF) are still usable, WOFF/WOFF2 are the modern standards because browsers prioritize them and they offer superior performance. Using these formats provides a consistent experience across different devices and platforms.

Developers primarily implement WOFF and WOFF2 formats when linking fonts via CSS @font-face rules. Most major font platforms, such as Google Fonts and Adobe Fonts (Typekit), automatically serve fonts in WOFF2/WOFF formats. Modern content management systems (like WordPress themes) and web frameworks (such as Bootstrap) heavily utilize these formats to display custom typography without relying on users having the font installed locally.

The primary advantages of WOFF/WOFF2 are excellent compression (especially WOFF2), leading to faster page loads, near-universal browser support, and features tailored for web rendering. A limitation is that older browsers (like IE 11) only support WOFF1, requiring potential fallback strategies. These standardized, efficient formats drive design innovation on the web by making custom typography accessible and performant.