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Source Code Pro VS Fira Code

Compare Source Code Pro VS Fira Code and see what are their differences

Source Code Pro logo Source Code Pro

Monospaced font family for user interface and coding environments - adobe-fonts/source-code-pro

Fira Code logo Fira Code

A font derived from Fira Mono with added ligatures.
  • Source Code Pro Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-23
  • Fira Code Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-23

Source Code Pro features and specs

  • Open Source
    Source Code Pro is open source, which means it can be freely used, modified, and distributed by anyone. This encourages a community-driven approach to improvements and adaptations.
  • Designed for Coding
    Specifically optimized for coding environments, Source Code Pro enhances readability and reduces eye strain when spending long hours reading and writing code.
  • Adobe's Reputation
    Developed by Adobe, Source Code Pro benefits from the resources and expertise of a well-regarded leader in design and typography.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    The font is compatible across various platforms, including Windows, MacOS, and Linux, ensuring a consistent look and feel regardless of the operating system.
  • Variety of Weights
    Offers multiple weight options, ranging from extra light to black, providing flexibility for different visual preferences and requirements.

Possible disadvantages of Source Code Pro

  • Limited Character Set
    Compared to some other typefaces, Source Code Pro may offer a more limited character set, which could pose issues in multilingual environments or for specialized uses.
  • Not Ideal for Non-Code Text
    Optimized for source code, it may not be the best choice for other types of text, such as formal documents or extensive prose reading.
  • Visual Preferences
    Typography can be subjective, and some users may simply prefer the aesthetics of other monospaced fonts over Source Code Pro.
  • Lack of Italics
    Source Code Pro lacks true italic styles, which might limit its use in situations where italics are needed to emphasize parts of code or text.

Fira Code features and specs

  • Ligatures
    Fira Code includes programming ligatures, which combine multiple characters into a single, visually distinct symbol, making code more readable and aesthetically pleasing.
  • Readability
    The font is designed specifically for coding and enhances readability, with a high distinction between similar-looking characters.
  • Open Source
    It is open-source, allowing for community contributions and modifications, which can lead to rapid improvements and updates.
  • Wide Language Support
    Fira Code supports a wide range of characters and symbols, making it suitable for use with many different programming languages.
  • Customizable
    Users can customize the font to fit their personal preferences and needs, including turning ligatures on or off.

Possible disadvantages of Fira Code

  • Performance Issues
    The complexity of ligatures can sometimes lead to performance issues in editors, making typing feel sluggish.
  • Compatibility
    Some older editors and IDEs may not fully support ligatures or the font itself, leading to display issues.
  • Personal Preference
    Not all developers prefer ligatures; some may find them distracting or harder to read compared to traditional monospaced fonts.
  • Learning Curve
    Developers new to ligatures might need some time to get used to the combined symbols, which could initially slow down their coding speed.
  • File Size
    The font file size is larger compared to some other coding fonts, which might be a consideration for environments with constrained resources.

Source Code Pro videos

No Source Code Pro videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Fira Code videos

Fira Code - Programming Font Review

More videos:

  • Review - A Better Font For Web Development - Fira Code
  • Review - Fira Code in VS Code

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Source Code Pro and Fira Code)
Typography
34 34%
66% 66
Design
29 29%
71% 71
Tool
27 27%
73% 73
OSX
52 52%
48% 48

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Source Code Pro seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 10 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Source Code Pro mentions (10)

  • Berkeley Mono Typeface
    Hack is very underrated and awesome. Fira Code is nice, so is Adobe Source Code Pro [0], and Iosevka [1]. Yet, Berkeley is truly at its own level. [0]: https://github.com/adobe-fonts/source-code-pro. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • What fonts do you use for writing?
    I've been using the free Source Code Pro (GitHub source). While it works well for coding of course, I find it is also pleasing to read from for large quantities of text. The characters are distinct (no confusion between 0O lI etc.) but understated, which is what you want for something you read thousands of words with every day. Source: about 2 years ago
  • No More Coding Headaches: Try These Easy-On-The-Eyes Programming Fonts
    Adobe has published several open-source fonts in their Source Sans family, and this one is monospaced and made explicitly for UI. Though the regular weight will work for most programming applications, a range of weights is available if you need them. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Developer creates delightful programming font based on Minecraft
    I went with Fira Code, but Source Code Pro is also good. More good fonts. Source: over 2 years ago
  • What are some programs that a lot of Linux newbies require ?
    A couple of typefaces, comic neue and adobe source code pro - these are just hyperlinks; I don't install these automatically for some reason -. Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

Fira Code mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Fira Code yet. Tracking of Fira Code recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Source Code Pro and Fira Code, you can also consider the following products

DejaVu Sans Mono - This open source font family is derived from the Bitstream Vera family, itself close to the Microsoft core Web fonts (see Andale Mono).

Operator - Looking for something? Make a request and we'll find it.

M+ 1m - Download and install the M+ 1m free font family by M+ Fonts as well as test-drive and see a complete character set.

Input Mono - Multiform monospace font.

Bitstream Vera Sans Mono - Bitstream Vera Sans Mono Font | dafont.com

Inconsolata - OSX, Productivity, Design, Typography, powerline, and Fonts