Font Repository Structure

How to organise files for both the design and the engineering work.

This repository structure is used for every font family in the catalog. Organising work files consistently helps with streamlining the process.

GitHub - MarmiteDefontes/repository-structure: Marmite Defontes repository structureGitHub

Repository template on GitHub

The structure:

.
documentation
├── assets

├── reference-library

├── research

└── specimen
fonts
├── otf

├── ttf

├── variable

└── webfonts

sources
├── archives

└── character-sets

README.md

Structure sample in a nutshell:

Winslow                          ‹— Family name (root folder)
    ├── documentation            ‹— All things related to design and communication
    │   ├── assets               ‹— Ready to use assets for communication
    │   ├── reference-library    ‹— Inspiration sources
    │   ├── research             ‹— Test files that are not source files
    │   └── specimen             ‹— Specimen source files and exports
    ├── fonts                    ‹— Exports/instances (aka the software files) 
    │   ├── otf                  ‹— OpenType files
    │   ├── ttf                  ‹— TrueType files

    │   ├── variable             ‹— Variable font files

    │   └── webfonts             ‹— woff2 files

    ├── sources                  ‹— Production files for the family
    │   ├── archives             ‹— Obsolete production files
    │   └── character-sets       ‹— Glyphs custom filters files

    └── README.md                ‹— Font ID and information details markdown file

Folders and sub-folders content

documentation

All things related to design and communication.

• assets: ready to use media files (image, videos, etc.) used to promote the font family

• reference-library: all elements that inspire and inform the design and technical development of the family. For instance: images, articles, research papers, sample font files from other designers, hi-res scans.

• research: design files for the family. For instance: sketches, Illustrator files, prototype files (that are not sources).

• specimen: the production files for the specimen document. For instance: Illustrator or InDesign files and the related PDF exports (for website use).

fonts

The font files that are the lastest version and use by customers.

• otf: OpenType files / .otf

• ttf: TrueType files / .ttf

• variable: variable font files / .ttf

• webfonts: for the web / .woff2

sources

The production files.

• archives: obsolete files (or versioning fallback cause we all fear losing

• character-sets: local copy of the custom filters for Glyphs from Christoph Koeberlin's Latin Character Sets

• Name-of-the-Font.glyphs

• other production files: scripts, ufo, design space files, etc.

Read me file (README.md)

This file contains all the key information about the font family project.

Content:

• Name-of-the-Font

• Sample image

• About this font: short description

• Moodboard: inspiration overview

• Research: notes about design drafts and concepts

• Design Principles: main intentions for the family

• Specimen concept: idea behind the promotion material

• Open questions: what might not make it in the release version, but needs to be captured

• Font specifications

  • Masters included

  • Axis in the font family

  • Production notes

  • Character set(s)

  • Build instructions

• Changelog

• Acknowledgements and credits

  • Authors

  • Contributors

• License

• About Marmite Defontes

• Repository Layout credits

Good to know: This structure is inspired by my own practice, my learning during the Practica Program and the Google Fonts repo organisation principles and Google Fonts project template.