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font-variant-alternates

The font-variant-alternates CSS property controls the usage of alternate glyphs. These alternate glyphs may be referenced by alternative names defined in @font-feature-values.

/* Keyword values */
font-variant-alternates: normal;
font-variant-alternates: historical-forms;

/* Functional notation values */
font-variant-alternates: stylistic(user-defined-ident);
font-variant-alternates: styleset(user-defined-ident);
font-variant-alternates: character-variant(user-defined-ident);
font-variant-alternates: swash(user-defined-ident);
font-variant-alternates: ornaments(user-defined-ident);
font-variant-alternates: annotation(user-defined-ident);
font-variant-alternates: swash(ident1) annotation(ident2);

/* Global values */
font-variant-alternates: initial;
font-variant-alternates: inherit;
font-variant-alternates: unset;

The @font-feature-values at-rule can define names for alternative glyph functions (stylistic, styleset, character-variant, swash, ornament or annotation), associating the name with OpenType parameters. This property allows those human-readable names (defined in @font-feature-values) in the stylesheet.

Initial value normal
Applies to all elements. It also applies to ::first-letter and ::first-line.
Inherited yes
Media visual
Computed value as specified
Animation type discrete
Canonical order order of appearance in the formal grammar of the values

Syntax

This property may take one of two forms:

  • either the keyword normal
  • or one or more of the other keywords and functions listed below, space-separated, in any order.

Values

normal
This keyword deactivates alternate glyphs.
historical-forms
This keyword enables historical forms — glyphs that were common in the past but not today. It corresponds to the OpenType value hist.
stylistic()
This function enables stylistic alternates for individual characters. The parameter is a font-specific name mapped to a number. It corresponds to the OpenType value salt, like salt 2.
styleset()
This function enables stylistic alternatives for sets of characters. The parameter is a font-specific name mapped to a number. It corresponds to the OpenType value ssXY, like ss02.
character-variant()
This function enables specific stylistic alternatives for characters. It is similar to styleset(), but doesn't create coherent glyphs for a set of characters; individual characters will have independent and not necessarily coherent styles. The parameter is a font-specific name mapped to a number. It corresponds to the OpenType value cvXY, like cv02.
swash()
This function enables swash glyphs. The parameter is a font-specific name mapped to a number. It corresponds to the OpenType values swsh and cswh, like swsh 2 and cswh 2.
ornaments()
This function enables ornaments, like fleurons and other dingbat glyphs. The parameter is a font-specific name mapped to a number. It corresponds to the OpenType value ornm, like ornm 2.
Note: In order to preserve text semantics, font designers should include ornaments that don't match Unicode dingbat characters as ornamental variants of the bullet character (U+2022). Be aware that some existing fonts don't follow this advice.
annotation()
This function enables annotations, like circled digits or inverted characters. The parameter is a font-specific name mapped to a number. It corresponds to the OpenType value nalt, like nalt 2.

Formal syntax

normal | [ stylistic( <feature-value-name> ) || historical-forms || styleset( <feature-value-name># ) || character-variant( <feature-value-name># ) || swash( <feature-value-name> ) || ornaments( <feature-value-name> ) || annotation( <feature-value-name> ) ]

where
<feature-value-name> = <custom-ident>

Example

HTML

<p>Firefox rocks!</p>
<p class="variant">Firefox rocks!</p>

CSS

@font-feature-values "Leitura Display Swashes" {
    @swash { fancy: 1 }
}

p {
  font-size: 1.5rem;
}

.variant {
  font-family: Leitura Display Swashes;
  font-variant-alternates: swash(fancy);
}

Result

Note: You need to install the OpenType font Leitura Display Swashes for this example to work. You can find a few free versions for testing purposes, for example from fontsgeek.com.

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Fonts Module Level 3
The definition of 'font-variant-alternates' in that specification.
Candidate Recommendation Initial definition

Browser CompatibilityUpdate compatibility data on GitHub

Desktop
Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No
annotation() No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No
character-variant() No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No
ornaments() No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No
styleset() No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No
stylistic() No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No
swash() No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No
Mobile
Android webview Chrome for Android Edge Mobile Firefox for Android Opera for Android iOS Safari Samsung Internet
Basic support No No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No
annotation() No No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No
character-variant() No No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No
ornaments() No No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No
styleset() No No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No
stylistic() No No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No
swash() No No No 34
34
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No No No

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Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/font-variant-alternates