Software Alternatives & Startups

FontForge VS Exploring ES6

Compare FontForge VS Exploring ES6 and see what are their differences

FontForge

Free (libre) font editor for Windows, Mac OS X and GNU+Linux

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source Free
Exploring ES6

Upgrade to the next version of JavaScript

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0 reviews
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Which is more popular?

Design Tools popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
37 vs 17

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

FontForge
EES
Exploring ES6
Website fontforge.org leanpub.com
Pricing
Open source Free
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Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

FontForge 5 features
EES
Exploring ES6 5 features
  • Open Source
    FontForge is an open-source font editor, which means it is free to use, modify, and distribute. This makes it accessible for individuals or organizations with limited budgets.
  • Cross-Platform
    FontForge is available for various operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing users to work on their font projects regardless of the platform.
  • Extensive Feature Set
    FontForge boasts a wide range of features for font creation and editing, including support for multiple font formats, scripting abilities, and advanced typographic tools.
  • Active Community
    As an open-source project, FontForge has an active community of users and developers who contribute to its improvement and provide valuable support and resources.
  • Scripting Capabilities
    FontForge supports Python scripting, which allows users to automate repetitive tasks, create custom tools, and extend the functionality of the software.

Possible disadvantages

  • Steep Learning Curve
    FontForge can be challenging for beginners due to its complex interface and extensive feature set, requiring a significant time investment to become proficient.
  • Less Polished Interface
    Compared to some commercial font editors, FontForge’s user interface may appear less modern and less intuitive, which can be a drawback for users accustomed to more polished software.
  • Inconsistent Documentation
    While there is a wealth of information available, the documentation for FontForge can sometimes be outdated or incomplete, making it difficult for users to find the help they need.
  • Limited Customer Support
    As an open-source project, FontForge lacks dedicated customer support. Users must rely on community forums and user groups for assistance, which may not always provide timely or comprehensive help.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Some users have reported encountering bugs and crashes, which can disrupt work and result in lost progress if proper precautions like frequent saving are not taken.
  • Comprehensive Coverage
    Exploring ES6 provides an exceptionally thorough and detailed exploration of ES6 (ECMAScript 2015) features, covering everything from arrow functions and template literals to generators, proxies, and modules, making it one of the most complete references available for the specification.
  • Free to Read Online
    The book is available to read for free online through Leanpub, making it highly accessible to developers of all backgrounds and financial situations who want to learn modern JavaScript.
  • In-Depth Explanations
    Dr. Axel Rauschmayer is known for his deep, technically precise explanations. The book goes beyond surface-level tutorials and explains the 'why' behind design decisions in ES6, helping readers gain a genuine understanding of the language mechanics.
  • Well-Structured Organization
    The book is organized into logical chapters that each focus on a specific ES6 feature or concept, making it easy to use both as a sequential learning resource and as a reference guide that you can jump into at any point.
  • Authoritative Source
    Written by Dr. Axel Rauschmayer, a highly respected JavaScript expert and blogger, the content is reliable, accurate, and well-researched, drawing directly from the ECMAScript specification itself.

Possible disadvantages

  • Overwhelming Detail
    The level of detail can be overwhelming for beginners or intermediate developers. The book sometimes dives into specification-level minutiae that may not be practical for everyday development, making it hard to distinguish essential knowledge from edge cases.
  • Dated Content
    Since the book focuses specifically on ES6 (2015), it does not cover subsequent ECMAScript updates (ES2016–ES2024) such as async/await, optional chaining, nullish coalescing, and other modern features that are now standard in JavaScript development.
  • Dense and Academic Writing Style
    The writing style can be quite academic and dense, which may make it less engaging or harder to follow compared to more conversational or example-driven JavaScript books. Some readers may find it dry.
  • Limited Practical Examples
    While the book excels at explaining concepts theoretically, it can sometimes lack real-world, practical project-based examples that show how ES6 features are used together in actual application development scenarios.
  • Length Can Be Intimidating
    The book is extremely long and extensive, which can be intimidating for readers who want a quick, concise introduction to ES6. It may take significant time commitment to work through the entire book.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

FontForge
EES
Exploring ES6

Overall verdict

  • FontForge is a good tool, especially for those who are looking for a free, open-source solution for font creation and editing. It provides a robust set of features that can meet the needs of most font design projects, though its interface might not be as modern or intuitive as some premium alternatives.

Why this product is good

  • FontForge is a well-regarded open-source font editor that provides a comprehensive set of tools for designing, editing, and converting fonts. It is favored for its extensive format support, allowing users to work with various font types including TrueType, OpenType, and PostScript. It also offers scripting capabilities with Python, which can be very helpful for automating tasks. Despite its slightly outdated interface, its feature-rich environment accommodates both beginners and experienced users in typography design.

Recommended for

  • Graphic designers who need a free and open-source font design tool.
  • Beginners in font design who are willing to learn and explore font creation.
  • Advanced users who appreciate the ability to script and automate tasks using Python.
  • Projects requiring compatibility with multiple font formats.

Overall verdict

  • Exploring ES6 by Dr. Axel Rauschmayer is an excellent, in-depth resource for understanding modern JavaScript (ECMAScript 6/ES2015) with clear explanations and practical examples.

Why this product is good

  • Written by Dr. Axel Rauschmayer, a well-respected JavaScript expert and educator
  • Provides thorough, detailed coverage of ES6 features with accurate technical explanations
  • Available to read for free online, making it accessible to everyone
  • Includes practical code examples that clarify complex concepts
  • Well-organized structure that lets you jump to specific topics as needed
  • Explains not just how features work but the reasoning and design decisions behind them

Recommended for

  • JavaScript developers wanting to master modern ES6 features
  • Programmers transitioning from ES5 to ES6/ES2015
  • Developers who prefer a reference-style book they can consult topic-by-topic
  • Self-learners who want a free, comprehensive resource
  • Experienced coders seeking deep understanding rather than surface-level tutorials

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

FontForge 3 videos + Add
EES
Exploring ES6 0 videos + Add

FontForge Master Class Part 1 - Install & Intro

More videos

  • - Introduction to FontForge
  • - Turn your handwriting into a font! (Calligraphr/Fontforge Tutorial)

No Exploring ES6 videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
FontForge
EES
Exploring ES6
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

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Alternatives to FontForge and Exploring ES6

When comparing FontForge and Exploring ES6, you can also consider the following products.