How to use font metadata for design system version tracking
- Step 1Extract on every build — CI step runs the Metadata Extractor against every font. Captures version string (nameID 5) plus SHA-256 fingerprint.
- Step 2Compare against expected — Maintain expected.json with the version per font. Build fails if extracted version doesn't match expected — investigate the discrepancy.
- Step 3Document version history — Pin in design system docs: 'Inter 4.0, Roboto Flex 3.2.1, etc.' Update on intentional version bumps; CI catches unintentional drift.
Frequently asked questions
What's a typical version format?+
Most foundries use 'Version X.YZZ' (e.g., 'Version 1.001', 'Version 4.0;Inter-Regular'). Adobe uses 'OTF X.Y'. The exact format varies; treat it as an opaque identifier rather than parsing semantics.
Why does version matter?+
Newer versions can change kerning, glyph shapes, OpenType features. Visual regression tests catch large changes; version tracking catches the silent ones (fixed kerning, new glyphs, dropped OpenType features).
What about Google Fonts versions?+
Google updates fonts continuously without bumping the public version string in nameID 5. SHA-256 fingerprinting is more reliable for Google Fonts version tracking.
Privacy first
Every JAD Font tool runs entirely in your browser using opentype.js and the wawoff2 WASM Brotli encoder. Your fonts never leave your device — verified by zero outbound network requests during processing.