WOFF2 is the second version of the Web Open Font Format, which became a W3C Recommendation in 2018. Thanks to the Brotli compression algorithm, it produces files about 30% smaller than WOFF, which speeds up page loading.
Where to see it
WOFF2 is recognizable by its .woff2 extension, and it is the format served by default by Google Fonts and most web font services. Supported by all modern browsers, it has become the standard for embedding fonts on a website.
Why this detail matters
Choosing WOFF2 is now one of the simplest ways to optimize a website:
- Lighter files load faster, which reduces the time during which text stays invisible or is displayed in a fallback font;
- Fast font loading improves performance metrics such as Core Web Vitals, which matter for SEO;
- It fully preserves the design and OpenType features of the original font, including variable fonts.
Related term
WOFF is the first version of this format; today it only serves as a fallback for older browsers.