dfont (Mac font)
Also known as: .dfont file, Mac data-fork font, datafork font
A dfont is a Mac font format that stores font data in a file’s data fork instead of the classic resource fork. Apple used it in early macOS to keep traditional Mac fonts working as single, portable files.
- Mac font stored in the data fork, not resource fork
- Usually wraps TrueType outlines
- Legacy; convertible to TTF or OTF
Why dfont exists
Old Mac fonts kept their data in a resource fork, a hidden part of a file that did not survive copying to other systems. The dfont format moved that data into the regular data fork, so the font could travel as one normal file.
Inside, a dfont typically wraps TrueType outlines, so it behaves like a TrueType font on the Mac.
dfont today
Newer macOS releases favor standard TTF and OTF (and TrueType collections), so dfont is increasingly legacy. Font tools can convert a dfont to TTF or OTF for use elsewhere.