People often use the terms "typeface" and "font" interchangeably, but they stand for different things. A typeface is a set of characters of the same design, including letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and symbols. A font presents a variation of a typeface. In other words, fonts of a similar design are grouped into typefaces. For example, when we talk about Helvetica or Times New Roman, we're talking about typefaces. Helvetica Bold 12 point is a font.

Understanding the varieties of typefaces available, the moods they can create, and what they’re each suitable for is key to using type effectively to create exceptional user experiences.