• Introduction:
• Typography enhances legibility of written language.
• Important to consider both clarity and emotional expression in typeface choices.
• Type Groups:
• Popular type groups include Serif, Sans Serif, and Handwriting. Display and Monospace are also recognized.
• Harmony & Curiosity:
• Proper typography should harmonize with the UI components and provoke user interest.
• Six Typographic Fundamentals for UI:
1. Color: Ensure contrast between typeface and background. Avoid too similar colors or high contrast colors that create visual disturbance.
2. Complexity: Typefaces with intricate designs should be larger; simpler typefaces can be smaller. For instance, Display and Handwritten fonts are often larger.
3. Space: Effective use of negative space improves readability. Spacing types include Leading (between lines), Tracking (between letters or words), and Kerning (specific character pairs).
4. Size: Utilize size hierarchies to clarify content importance. Differing sizes help the user discern content priority.
5. Uppercasing: Strategically using uppercase can grab attention. However, avoid overuse as it may reduce readability.
6. Alignment: Proper text alignments (left, right, center) offer structure and unity to the content.
• Conclusion:
• Typography has various symbolic meanings. Proper type, spacing, and color selection create a better reading experience. Letters and words are integral UI elements and must align with the interface's visual goals.

Typography in UI Design: Key Takeaways

1. Typography Terminology:
• Terms like kerning, leading, and weight are foundational to understanding type.
• Tracking: Uniform spacing between characters.
• Baseline: The line on which text rests.
• Leading: Vertical spacing between text lines.
• Weight: Thickness of a font’s stroke.
• Serif/Sans Serif: Serifs are small lines attached to letters; sans serif lacks these.
2. Hierarchy:
• Ensures scannability by emphasizing important information using bigger, bolder text and de-emphasizing less vital info.
3. Optimal Line Height & Length:
• Adjust line-height for readability (between 130%-180%).
• Limit line length to 70–80 characters.
4. Prioritize Readability:
• Follow WCAG standards for text size, color contrast, and other accessibility concerns.
5. Limit Number of Typefaces:
• Utilize font families for consistency.
6. Define Type Scale Guidelines:
• Establish base font size, line-height, and type scale for various text elements.
7. Use Recognizable Words/Phrases:
• Keep messages clear, concise, and consistent. Avoid jargon and maintain a consistent point of view.
8. Emphasize Important Information:
• Use weight, size, and color to highlight key text elements.
9. Consider Language Support:
• Anticipate word length variations and right-to-left languages like Arabic and Hebrew.
10. When in Doubt, Use System Fonts:

• iOS and Android offer system fonts like San Francisco and Roboto, ensuring compatibility and readability across devices.

The iOS Font Size Guidelines (Updated for iOS 15)

Main Points:

• This guide talks about font sizes for designing apps on iPhones and iPads, mainly using Apple’s default font, SF Pro.

iPhone Fonts:

1. Titles: Start big at 34pt, but become 17pt when you scroll.
2. Regular Text & Links: 17pt.
3. Secondary Text: 15pt (usually lighter in color).
4. Other Small Texts: 13pt.
5. Buttons & Controls: 17pt (important ones look bolder).
6. Bottom Bar: Smallest at 10pt.

Key Ideas:

• Apple uses font weight (like boldness) to make titles stand out, not always size.
• In lists, names are more prominent than the message.
• Controls mostly use the default size, except some special buttons.

iPad Fonts:

• Text appears a bit larger on iPads because of screen differences.
• Mostly like iPhone, but titles can be bigger since there's more space.

SF Pro Font Tips:

• For big fonts (20pt or more), use SF Pro Display.
• For smaller fonts (19pt or less), use SF Pro Text.
• SF has different spaces between letters depending on size. You can adjust this yourself or use some tools to help.

Summary: This guide helps you pick the right font sizes for iOS apps. iPhone and iPad mostly follow similar rules, but there are some differences. Using Apple's SF Pro font? There are special tips to make it look just right.

The Android/Material Design Font Size Guidelines

Main Font: Roboto

Measurement Unit: "sp" (like adjustable pixels)

Quick Mobile Font Sizes:

• Titles: 20sp
• Main Text: 14sp
• List Headings: 14sp (a bit bold)
• Important List Text: 16sp
• Lesser Details: 14sp (lighter color)
• Buttons & Tabs: 14sp (a bit bold)
• Where You Type: 16sp

Key Points:

• Usual text is 14sp, but in small pop-ups, it's 16sp and lighter.
• Text in lists is bigger (16sp) because it's usually more important.

For Desktops:

• Some text like headings is slightly smaller on computers (like 15sp instead of 16sp).

For all details, check Google's guidelines. But this is the basic idea!

The Responsive Website Font Size Guidelines

1. Default Font Size: Start with 16px. Different fonts appear differently, even at the same size, so:
• Think of using smaller sizes for interaction-heavy pages.
• Consider larger sizes for text-heavy pages.
2. Text Inputs: Always use a font size of 16px or more. iOS zooms in if the font is smaller, making it hard to use.
3. Secondary Text: Use a size 2 points smaller than the body text, usually around 14px. Style it to show it's less important, maybe with a lighter shade.
4. Test on Real Devices: Always check your designs on an actual mobile device. It feels different than on a laptop.
5. Know Big Design Systems: Check out Google's Material Design and Apple's iOS standards. It's good to know the standards even if you don't copy them.

Desktop Web Typography Guidelines: Quick Look

1. Text-Heavy Pages:
• Think of articles and blogs.
• Use bigger font sizes, like 18px or even 20px.
• Aim for a reading experience similar to a well-made book.
2. Interaction-Heavy Pages:
• Think of Facebook or web apps.
• 14px-16px is typical. But the needs of the content determine the size.
• Focus on clarity and ease of finding info.
3. Keep Font Sizes Limited:
• Use as few sizes as possible.
• Big font for headlines.
• Default size for most text.
• Smaller size for less important info.
• Maybe one more size for specific needs.

Remember: The key is clarity and consistency! Always test your design to see how it feels.

Typography in Mobile App Design: Key Points

1. Minimum Font Size:
• Mobile apps face challenges like screen glare and varied user visual impairments.
• Apple's guideline: minimum body text size is 17pt.
• Google's guideline: minimum body text size is 16sp.
• Recommended font size may vary based on font characteristics.
• WCAG 2.0: minimum size is 18pt and 14pt for bold text.
2. Headline Size:
• Trend for large headings can be problematic on mobile if they appear disjointed over multiple lines.
• Aim for headline sizes that are contrasting and fit within 2-3 lines.
3. Contrast:
• Essential for mobile apps due to varying viewing conditions.
• Adhere to WCAG 2.0 contrast standards.
• Ensure legibility over images.
• Offer options for both light and dark backgrounds.
4. System Fonts:
• iOS: San Francisco and New York.
• Android: Roboto.
• They maintain consistency but might lack uniqueness.
• Combining system font for body with a different font for headings can add uniqueness.
5. Commercial Fonts:
• More versatile but come at a higher cost.
• Understand licensing nuances, technical details, scalability, and weight/style availability.
• Always consider future scalability and localization needs.

Recommendations:

• Don't use font sizes below 16pt for body text.
• Utilize tools like Stark plugin to check text contrast.
• Pair system fonts with non-default ones for a unique look.
• Explore direct Type Foundries sites for potential cost savings and unique styles.

Quick Typography Improvements: 8 Micro Tips

1. Font Weights on Dark Background:
• Dark modes and variable fonts are in trend.
• Lighten font weights in dark mode for better aesthetics and readability.
• Example: If bold (700) in light mode, use 650 in dark mode.
2. Line Height of Headings:
• Headings are generally short; large line heights can make them look disjointed.
• Reduce line height of headings to 110%-120% for a compact look.
3. Open-Type Features:
• Many fonts now support stylistic alternates.
• Using alternate designs can make fonts appear more original.
4. Uppercase & Letter-Spacing:
• Uppercase can emphasize content without bolding or italicizing.
• Always use letter-spacing (up to 5%) with uppercase for readability.
5. Old-Style Figures:
• Numbers in standard lining figures can be distracting in text.
• Use old-style figures to blend numbers with lowercase text.
6. Small Caps for Acronyms:
• Capitalized acronyms can be a visual distraction.
• Using small caps can make acronyms fit seamlessly in text.
• Avoid "fake small caps."
7. Ligatures:
• Improve aesthetics by avoiding clashes between letters like "fi" and "fl".
• Ligatures can add character to typography without distracting readers.
8. Aligning Icons to Line Height:
• Align icons' height to text's line height rather than its baseline.
• The vertical center of an icon should align with the uppercase "X" middle.

Note: While these tips can enhance typography quickly, excellent typography requires a more comprehensive approach. One must choose fonts that match content, pair them well, craft paragraphs, define a system of font sizes, ensure rhythm, compose page layouts, and ensure responsiveness. For a holistic understanding, the author recommends their course, Better Web Type.

Enhancing UI with Text Alignment: Quick Tips

1. Avoid Centering Long Text: Center-aligned long text causes eye fatigue and reduces reading focus. Stick to two or three lines max if you're centering.
2. Left-align Lengthy Text: For better readability, always left-align text that's more than a couple of lines long. Remember to right-align for languages like Arabic or Hebrew.
3. Center Short Headlines: It's okay to center-align headlines if they're only one or two lines. Any longer, and it's better to left-align.
4. Hanging Alignment for UI Elements: This technique establishes a visual hierarchy, especially with elements like icons or bullets. It ensures a smooth reading flow without zig-zags.
5. Right-align Numbers and Data: In tables or dashboards, numbers and timestamps are easier to compare when right-aligned.
6. Justified Text & Whitespace: If you're using justified text for a formal feel, beware of the gaps it can create between words. Use hyphenation to break up words and minimize those gaps. If this isn't possible, revert to left-aligned text for a cleaner look.

Remember, effective text alignment can elevate your UI's appearance and readability.