Reference

PostScript Type 1 font

PostScript Type 1 is an early scalable font format from Adobe that defined professional digital type for desktop publishing. It uses outline glyphs but has been deprecated in modern software in favor of OpenType.

Files & formatsGeneral

PostScript Type 1 font

Also known as: Type 1 font, PostScript font, Adobe Type 1

Early Adobe scalable outline font format
Shipped as PFB outlines plus PFM metrics
Deprecated; superseded by OpenType

Why Type 1 mattered

Introduced by Adobe, Type 1 brought high-quality scalable outlines with hinting for crisp printing, and it powered the desktop-publishing boom. On Windows it shipped as a PFB outline plus a PFM metrics file.

It competed with Apple and Microsoft’s TrueType, and the two eventually merged ideas into OpenType.

Type 1 today

Adobe ended support for authoring with Type 1 fonts in current apps, so the format is effectively retired. Convert old Type 1 fonts to OTF to keep using them in modern workflows.

Related terms

Keep reading the reference.

Files & formatsPFB (PostScript font)PFB (Printer Font Binary) is the binary container for a PostScript Type 1 font’s outline data. It holds the actual glyph shapes and usually travels with a separate metrics file before being installed.General Files & formatsPFM (font metrics)PFM (Printer Font Metrics) is the companion file to a PostScript Type 1 font on Windows. It stores spacing, kerning, and character-width data, while the matching PFB file holds the actual glyph outlines.General Files & formatsOTF (OpenType font)OTF (OpenType) is a modern, cross-platform font format from Adobe and Microsoft. It stores scalable outlines like TrueType but adds advanced typography — ligatures, alternates, and small caps — making it the common choice for professional type.General