- FreeType
infobox software
name = FreeType
developer = FreeType contributors
latest release version = 2.3.7
latest release date = release date|2008|06|29 [cite web|url=http://freetype.org/index2.html#release-freetype-2.3.7|title=FreeType 2.3.7 has been released|date=2008-06-29]
operating system =Cross-platform
programming language = C
genre =Font rasterization
license =GNU General Public License / FreeType License
website = http://freetype.org/FreeType is a software library written in C that implements a
font rasterization engine. It is used to rasterize characters intobitmap s and provides support for other font-related operations.FreeType does not provide APIs to perform higher-level features, like text layout or graphics processing (e.g., colored text
rendering , "hollowing", etc.). However, it greatly simplifies these tasks by providing a simple, easy to use and uniform interface to access the content of font files.As of
June 2008 , the latest version of FreeType is FreeType 2.3.7, which works with an assortment of font formats, includingTrueType , Type 1, andOpenType . FreeType is released under twofree software license s: theGNU General Public License or a license similar to the originalBSD license (with the advertising clause). The library can thus be used by any kind of project, be it proprietary or not. As well as being used by the major free software desktop systems, FreeType is widely used as a rasterization engine for modernvideo game s. [Games companyRelic Entertainment have used FreeType for their games Dawn of War and Company of Heroes, as can be seen in the credits on the loading screens.] [Opera 9 for theWii console uses FreeType, as can be seen by looking at the "Third-party information" page which can be found on the Wii via:Internet Channel > Operations Guide > About > Opera 9 for Wii - Third-party information]Authors
The main authors are or were David Turner, Robert Wilhelm, and Werner Lemberg. [cite web|url=http://www.osnews.com/story/18166/Interview-with-David-Turner-of-Freetype/|title=Interview with David Turner
date=2008-08-31] [cite web|url=http://www.freetype.org/FTL.TXT|title=FreeType license
date=2008-08-31]References
External links
* [http://freetype.sourceforge.net/index2.html FreeType homepage]
* [http://hackyourway.net/2008/07/30/font-technology-and-freetype/ Article on Freetype]
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