Eugi Gufo’s blogEugi Gufo

Let us begin with a basic question: is there anyone who does not know what a «web typographer» is?
Even if you do not, you can probably guess quite easily: it is a program that makes a text intended for publication on the web correct and visually appealing from the point of view of screen typography. Screen typography differs only slightly from traditional «paper» typography: mainly in the proper handling of hyperlinks and in replacing special characters with their HTML codes (if and when there is a risk that they may not be displayed correctly in a browser window). In practice, proper screen typography can be achieved in two ways:
1. By processing the text manually (which means inserting dozens, if not hundreds, of non-breaking spaces, proper quotation marks, dashes, and hyphenation points, identifying problematic signs and symbols in the original text, and so on and so forth);
2. By using a «Web Typographer» (copy the text into a field, choose the required settings, click the button to process it, and receive a result ready for publication).
Which method do you prefer?
In this respect, it does not really matter what your main occupation is—whether you build websites, write or edit texts, or simply publish material created by someone else. Most normal people are reluctant to waste time and energy on monotonous work. Receiving a properly formatted and attractive text, on the other hand, should not feel like a burden at all: ordinary users will simply find typographically processed texts easier to read, while perfectionists will be less inclined to deal with you in the most brutal manner imaginable.
The first «Web Typographer» known to me appeared in the public domain back in 2002. Over the following years, several more typographers appeared on the internet: I can think of about a dozen off the top of my head, although I have never attempted to determine the exact total number. I also know that some CMSs include built-in typographers or similar plugins, although these are often solutions developed for a particular media outlet or organisation. And I know for a fact that many website developers and web authors/editors have their own pocket typographers—tools unavailable to the public and used solely for their professional needs.
I myself had my own pocket Web Typographer from the first half of the 2010s onwards. The most attentive visitors may have noticed that I used it to process every text published on my website.
Why am I referring to that typographer in the past tense?
Because last week it ceased to be a pocket tool—I finally made it publicly available! Hooray!

Someone might reasonably ask why I decided to share my creation with the world only now. Well, there are several reasons.
First, I finally worked out how to add a couple of features that I had wanted for a long time and, in doing so, make it unique among its competitors (none of the other typographers known to me can do this yet).
Second, some of the publicly available typographers I knew have ceased to be publicly available.
Third, the owner of one of the most famous typographers has embraced extremist political symbolism and rhetoric to such an extent that I can fully understand why some people no longer wish to use his products.
Fourth, if my Typographer gains users, they will inevitably send me plenty of suggestions and feature requests over time.
So, if you publish texts on the web and care about how they look, here is another useful tool for your collection.
And if you have any comments, suggestions, or observations, please send them to me—either by email or in the comments section.