Which is the best way to apply Google Fonts in your web applications?
Comparing methods for a better font implementation
HTML <head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Font">
The most easy and basic approach is using the HTML link tag. When using this method, you get the advantages of simple implementation and letting Google handle the catching and updates.
However, these same advantages becomes your disadvantages, because requiring an additional HTTP request can affect load times and you’re also introducing an external dependency.
And let's not forget this is Google we're talking about, they have tracking abilities through their CDN, so privacy is definitely something to keep in mind. 👀
CSS import
@import url("https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Font");
Moving on to the CSS import method, which is another straightforward approach. Where you import the font URL directly into your CSS file, which can keep your code more organised and it does work particularly well if you're using CSS preprocessing in your workflow.
That said, this method blocks the page rendering until the CSS is fully loaded, which can seriously hurt your page performance. That's why many developers avoid using this approach in production environments.
CSS font-face
@font-face {
font-family: "Font-Name";
src: url(your-path-font.ttf)
}
Finally, my favourite method: self-hosting your fonts. It gives you the most control over delivery and performance. For simple projects, all you need to do extra is download the fonts to your project and use the CSS font-face rule to call them.
You'll eliminate external dependencies entirely, and this method is particularly beneficial for applications that need to work offline or have strict privacy requirements.
Not everything is perfect though 🥲, for more complex projects, you'll need to handle updates manually, manage your own hosting costs and implement your own cache management strategy.