CFF to SFD Converter

Turn CFF font data into editable FontForge SFD source format online

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Full Editability

SFD gives you complete control over every aspect of your font. Converting CFF to SFD lets you modify glyphs, spacing, and kerning in FontForge.

Open Source Workflow

SFD integrates perfectly with the free FontForge editor and text-based version control — ideal for collaborative, open-source font development projects.

Server-Side Conversion

No need to install FontForge just to import a CFF file. Convertio does the conversion on its servers, saving you setup time and effort.

How to convert CFF to SFD

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose sfd or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your sfd file right afterwards

About formats

CFF (Compact Font Format) is a font outline format developed by Adobe Systems around 1996 as a more efficient successor to the Type 1 font representation. CFF uses Type 2 charstrings — an optimized encoding that supports multiple arguments per operator, default value elision, and shared subroutines — to describe the same cubic Bezier glyph outlines as Type 1 but with substantially less storage. A typical CFF font is 20-50% smaller than its Type 1 equivalent. The format can function as a standalone font file or, more commonly, as the outline data table inside an OpenType font container (the CFF table in OTF files with PostScript outlines). CFF supports multiple fonts within a single file through its FontSet structure, sharing global subroutines across the collection to further reduce size. One advantage is compression efficiency without lossy degradation — every control point and hint is preserved exactly, just encoded more compactly. The format also inherits the full hinting capability of Type 1, including stem hints, counter hints, and alignment zones that ensure crisp rendering on low-resolution screens and printers. CFF2, an evolution introduced with OpenType 1.8, adds support for font variations (variable fonts) by allowing interpolation across multiple design axes. Broad support in PDF viewers, web browsers via OpenType, and professional design software makes CFF one of the most widely deployed outline formats in digital typography.
Developer: Adobe Systems
Initial release: 1996
SFD (SplineFont Database) is the native source file format of FontForge, the free and open-source font editor originally created by George Williams in 2000 under the name PfaEdit. The format stores a complete font project — glyph outlines (cubic and quadratic splines), advance widths, side bearings, hinting instructions, kerning and OpenType feature tables, naming records, and metadata — in a single human-readable text file. Each glyph is described by its Unicode code point, outline coordinates, reference composites, and anchors, making the entire font design inspectable and diffable with standard text tools. SFD functions as the editable working format during font development, from which finished fonts are compiled to binary formats like OTF, TTF, or WOFF. A primary advantage is version control friendliness — because SFD is plain text, font designers can track changes to individual glyphs, merge contributions from collaborators, and maintain full revision history using Git or any other VCS. The format's completeness is another strength: it preserves every piece of data that FontForge can represent, including TrueType instructions, contextual substitution lookups, and multiple master axes, avoiding round-trip data loss during editing. The SFD specification is publicly documented and has evolved through several versions. FontForge's widespread adoption in the open-source type design community means SFD serves as the source format for hundreds of freely licensed font families distributed worldwide.
Developer: George Williams
Initial release: November 7, 2000

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert CFF to SFD?

SFD is the native format of FontForge, the popular open-source font editor. Converting CFF to SFD lets you edit glyphs, adjust metrics, and refine your font freely.

How do I open an SFD file?

Open SFD files in FontForge — available free on Windows, macOS, and Linux. SFD is also a text-based format, so you can inspect its contents in any text editor.

Is SFD good for version control?

Yes — SFD is a text-based source format, making it ideal for tracking changes in Git or other version control systems alongside your font development workflow.

Will my CFF outlines be fully editable?

Completely — every glyph, metric, kerning pair, and hinting instruction from your CFF is represented in the SFD file, ready for modification in FontForge.

Is this conversion free?

Yes, Convertio converts CFF to SFD at no charge. Everything happens in the cloud — just upload, convert, and download.