In type design applications (or font editing software applications), exporting is the process of transforming a working editable file (called source file) into one or more font files that can be installed and used.

The most common exported format is OpenType, which comes in several flavours depending on usage:
• .otf for PostScript outlines, commonly used in Adobe apps and professional printing workflows;
• .ttf for TrueType outlines, widely supported on Windows and Android systems;
• .woff and .woff2 which are compressed formats designed specifically for use on the web.

FONT ENGINEERING ADVICE

Exported font files are binary. This means all the font data—such as glyph outlines, kerning pairs, hinting instructions, and more—is stored as sequences of bits (0s and 1s) that the operating system can interpret directly, without relying on a third-party tool. By contrast, source files like .glyphs (Glyphs ), .vfb (FontLab ), or .ufo (an open format compatible with many editors, mainly used in Robofont ) are not binary. They require a specific software to be read and edited.