PFA - PostScript Font ASCII
ASCII-encoded Type 1 PostScript font. Human-readable text format suitable for email and text-based transfer.
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Quick Facts
- File Extension
- .pfa
- Category
- POSTSCRIPT FONT
Overview
PFA (PostScript Font ASCII) is the ASCII-encoded variant of Type 1 PostScript fonts. The entire font data, including outlines and metrics, is encoded as 7-bit ASCII text, making it safe for email and other text-based transfer methods.
PFA files are larger than their binary counterparts (PFB) but were more reliable for network transfer in early computing. Today, they're primarily used for font conversion and archival purposes.
Common Use Cases
Recommended For
- • Text-based file transfer
- • Email attachment (historically)
- • Human-readable inspection
- • Converting to other formats
Consider Alternatives For
- • Modern use (convert to OTF)
- • File size efficiency (use PFB or OTF)
- • Web fonts
Conversion Options
Convert PFA to other formats using our free online converter: