Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install ttfautohint with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix

Auto-hinter for TrueType fonts. Version 1.8.4 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install ttfautohint

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install ttfautohint

MacPorts ports tree · graphics/ttfautohint/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add ttfautohint

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · ttfautohint · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libttfautohint-dev

Debian stable package indexes · libttfautohint-dev · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install ttfautohint

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · ttfautohint · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#ttfautohint

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/tt/ttfautohint/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Auto-hinter for TrueType fonts

Commands and aliases

  • ttfautohint

history

Project history and usage

ttfautohint is Werner Lemberg's FreeType-based TrueType auto-hinting library and command-line program, aimed especially at producing practical hinting for web fonts and other TrueType fonts without the cost of full manual hinting.

In package-manager culture it sits in the font-build-tool niche: a small, scriptable binary that turns font rendering quality, particularly on non-FreeType platforms, into a reproducible build step.

Project history

The official project page says the project started in 2010 after Dave Crossland suggested the idea, with Werner Lemberg able to begin development through financial support from the Google Web Fonts team. The project grew around FreeType's auto-hinting system, exposing it as libttfautohint plus the `ttfautohint` CLI and a GUI.

The project reached version 1.0 on 22 March 2014, after release-candidate work focused on memory management, symbol fonts, and improved GDI ClearType hinting. Later releases expanded script support and tuning controls, including Devanagari in 1.1, low-level fine-tuning in 1.2, many Indic and other scripts in 1.5 and 1.6, and a library install path in 1.8.1.

The 1.8.4 release in August 2021 added support for Hanifi Rohingya, Nyiakeng Puachue Hmong, Medefaidrin, and Yezidi. The official page identifies 1.8.4 as the current version and points development at a public repo.or.cz git repository.

Adoption history

The project page frames ttfautohint as useful to type designers who need a first pass of TrueType hinting that can later be refined by hand. It also documents visual samples and font-family examples used to compare original hinting with ttfautohint output.

The supplied package facts show the tool packaged across Homebrew, Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora, Alpine, MacPorts, and Nix, which matches its role as a build-time CLI dependency for font maintainers rather than a general end-user application.

How it is used

The manual describes a C library that takes a TrueType font, removes existing bytecode instructions if present, and returns a new font whose glyphs are bytecode hinted using FreeType auto-hinting information. The distribution bundles both the CLI `ttfautohint` and `ttfautohintGUI`.

Typical package-nerd usage is to install the command with a package manager and run it as part of a font release pipeline, preserving the same hinting behavior across build hosts. The official page also notes dependencies on FreeType and HarfBuzz for building from source.

Why package nerds care

ttfautohint matters to package maintainers because fonts are often distributed as generated artifacts, and hinting can change the perceived quality of the output without changing the font's design. Having a packaged CLI keeps that step auditable and repeatable.

It is also a bridge package: it connects FreeType internals, HarfBuzz-era font tooling, GUI font editors, and web-font distribution into one command that package recipes can call.

Timeline

  • 2010: Project started after Dave Crossland suggested the idea, with support from Google Web Fonts.
  • 2014: Version 1.0 released with improved GDI ClearType hinting.
  • 2016: Version 1.6 added reference-file blue zones and many new script supports.
  • 2018: Version 1.8.1 added natural stem mode, manual stem overrides, and library installation.
  • 2021: Version 1.8.4 released with additional script support.

Related projects

  • FreeType provides the auto-hinting system that ttfautohint builds on.
  • HarfBuzz is listed by the official download notes as a build prerequisite.
  • FontForge, ttx, Visual TrueType, and FontLab appear in the official discussion as adjacent tools for inspecting, editing, or refining font hints.

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

  • narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

  • metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 13 platform targets.
  • Installs with 3 runtime dependencies.
  • Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
ttfautohintcliglobal executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08
manager version1.8.4
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

https://www.freetype.org/ttfautohint/

  • infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
  • infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.freetype.org/ttfautohint/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:ttfautohint
Version1.8.4
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ttfautohint
Homepagehttps://www.freetype.org/ttfautohint/
Repositoryhttps://repo.or.cz/ttfautohint.git
Upstream docshttps://freetype.org/ttfautohint/doc/ttfautohint.html
LicenseFTL OR GPL-2.0-or-later
Source archivehttps://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/freetype/ttfautohint/1.8.4/ttfautohint-1.8.4.tar.gz
Dependenciesfreetype, harfbuzz, libpng
Build dependenciespkgconf
Bottleavailable (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namettfautohint
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Head VersionHEAD
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • head
  • stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

libttfautohint-dev 1.8.4-2+b1

Automatic font hinter - development files

https://www.freetype.org/ttfautohint/

sudo apt install libttfautohint-dev
  • Section: libdevel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libttfautohint-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libttfautohint1t64 1.8.4-2+b1

Automatic font hinter - library

https://www.freetype.org/ttfautohint/

sudo apt install libttfautohint1t64
  • Section: libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • 3 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libttfautohint1t64 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

ttfautohint 1.8.4-2+b1

Automatic font hinter

https://www.freetype.org/ttfautohint/

sudo apt install ttfautohint
  • Section: fonts
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • 9 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: ttfautohint from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

ttfautohint

nix profile install nixpkgs#ttfautohint
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/tt/ttfautohint/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt95%

libttfautohint-dev 1.8.4-1.1build2

Automatic font hinter - development files

https://www.freetype.org/ttfautohint/

sudo apt install libttfautohint-dev
  • Section: universe/libdevel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libttfautohint-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libttfautohint1t64 1.8.4-1.1build2

Automatic font hinter - library

https://www.freetype.org/ttfautohint/

sudo apt install libttfautohint1t64
  • Section: universe/libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • 3 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libttfautohint1t64 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

ttfautohint 1.8.4-1.1build2

Automatic font hinter

https://www.freetype.org/ttfautohint/

sudo apt install ttfautohint
  • Section: universe/fonts
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 9 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ttfautohint from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk95%

ttfautohint 1.8.4-r0

Automated hinting utility for TrueType fonts

https://freetype.org/ttfautohint/

sudo apk add ttfautohint
  • License: FTL OR GPL-2.0-only
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ttfautohint from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

ttfautohint-dev 1.8.4-r0

Automated hinting utility for TrueType fonts (development files)

https://freetype.org/ttfautohint/

sudo apk add ttfautohint-dev
  • License: FTL OR GPL-2.0-only
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ttfautohint-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

ttfautohint-doc 1.8.4-r0

Automated hinting utility for TrueType fonts (documentation)

https://freetype.org/ttfautohint/

sudo apk add ttfautohint-doc
  • License: FTL OR GPL-2.0-only
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ttfautohint-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

ttfautohint-gui 1.8.4-r0

Automated hinting utility for TrueType fonts (Qt GUI)

https://freetype.org/ttfautohint/

sudo apk add ttfautohint-gui
  • License: FTL OR GPL-2.0-only
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ttfautohint-gui from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

ttfautohint-libs 1.8.4-r0

Automated hinting utility for TrueType fonts (libraries)

https://freetype.org/ttfautohint/

sudo apk add ttfautohint-libs
  • License: FTL OR GPL-2.0-only
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ttfautohint-libs from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
dnf95%

ttfautohint 1.8.4-12.fc44

Automated hinting utility for TrueType fonts

http://www.freetype.org/ttfautohint

sudo dnf install ttfautohint
  • License: FTL or GPL-2.0-only
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • 7 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ttfautohint from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst
dnf95%

ttfautohint-devel 1.8.4-12.fc44

Development files for ttfautohint-libs

http://www.freetype.org/ttfautohint

sudo dnf install ttfautohint-devel
  • License: FTL or GPL-2.0-only
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: i686
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • 4 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ttfautohint-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst
dnf95%

ttfautohint-gui 1.8.4-12.fc44

GUI for ttfautohint based on Qt

http://www.freetype.org/ttfautohint

sudo dnf install ttfautohint-gui
  • License: FTL or GPL-2.0-only
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • 10 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ttfautohint-gui from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst
dnf95%

ttfautohint-libs 1.8.4-12.fc44

Library for ttfautohint

http://www.freetype.org/ttfautohint

sudo dnf install ttfautohint-libs
  • License: FTL or GPL-2.0-only
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: i686
  • Source Package: ttfautohint
  • 5 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ttfautohint
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ttfautohint-libs from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

Related tools

  • freetypeRuntime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • harfbuzzRuntime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • libpngRuntime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • pkgconfBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.

Same workflow

  • ttf2pt1Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, fonts, truetype.
  • fonttoolsShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, fonts.
  • nerdfixShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, fonts.
  • t1libShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, fonts.
  • t1utilsShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, fonts.
  • figletShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, fonts.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Used sources

  • Geiger risk classifier
  • Nucleus package database
  • av.db category and tag curation
  • cross-ecosystem install command graph
  • curated package history
  • external package-manager database matches
  • package relationship graph
  • package version freshness
  • package-page enrichment