If you’ve ever been frustrated by slow-loading fonts leading to a frustrating user experience, FontFaceOnload is a tool worth exploring. This library enables you to seamlessly integrate custom fonts into your web projects while ensuring that fallback fonts remain visible during loading. Below, we’ve outlined how to use FontFaceOnload effectively, as well as troubleshooting tips for common issues.

What is FontFaceOnload?

FontFaceOnload is a JavaScript library that leverages the CSS Font Loading API for managing web fonts. It helps you load fonts without compromising the user experience by allowing fallback fonts to be displayed while your custom font loads in the background.

Getting Started with FontFaceOnload

Using FontFaceOnload can be done in just a few steps. Here’s how:

1. Include the Font in Your CSS

Start by declaring your custom font using the @font-face rule:

@font-face {
    font-family: 'My Custom Font Family';
    /* src and other properties as normal */
}

2. Include the Library

Next, include the FontFaceOnload library in your JavaScript:

FontFaceOnload('My Custom Font Family', {
    success: function() { /* Font has loaded successfully */ },
    error: function() { /* Handle loading error */ },
    timeout: 5000 // Optional, default is 10000 ms (10 seconds)
});

3. Use with Content Fonts

To ensure that the fallback font is visible while your custom font loads, follow this pattern:

FontFaceOnload('My Custom Font Family', {
    success: function() {
        document.documentElement.className += ' my-custom-font-family';
    }
});

Then, style your HTML with CSS to scope the custom font:

body {
    font-family: sans-serif;
}

.my-custom-font-family body {
    font-family: 'My Custom Font Family', sans-serif;
}

How It Works

FontFaceOnload utilizes the CSS Font Loading Module to detect when fonts are successfully loaded. When the desired font is not available, it falls back to a default serif or sans-serif typeface. It does this by measuring the dimensions of a text sample at intervals and comparing the results to determine if the new font has been loaded.

Alternative Approaches

If you wish to eliminate Flash of Invisible Text (FOIT), another approach is to use the loadCSS library. This library dynamically loads your @font-face declaration, though it may require more management regarding font formats (e.g., WOFF, WOFF2, TTF) and may not work ideally with icon fonts.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Font Not Loading: Verify that the font URL is correct and accessible.
• Fallback Font Displaying: Ensure that your success callback is correctly appending the class to the document’s HTML.
• Custom Font Not Applying: Check to see if your CSS selectors are properly scoped to include the custom classes.

For more insights, updates, or to collaborate on AI development projects, stay connected with fxis.ai.

Building the Project

To build FontFaceOnload, follow these commands:

npm install
bower install
grunt init
grunt

Conclusion

With FontFaceOnload, loading custom fonts doesn’t have to be a frustrating experience. By utilizing this library, you can ensure your web pages look polished while maintaining a good user experience. At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.