Urdu Fonts Catalogue
Urdu Fonts Catalogue
The Urdu Fonts Catalogue is a useful font library that makes it easier for users to read and write Urdu script in a wide range of styles, including Naskh, Nastaleeq, and other decorative calligraphic forms. Instead of searching across different sites for individual fonts, users can now find many Urdu fonts in one place and download them freely.
At present, this service is available through three websites:
UrduLog Font Showcase
UrduWeb Font Server
Jahan-e-Qalam Font Server
The launch of this Urdu fonts library is an important step forward for the Urdu digital community. It brings together a valuable collection of fonts in one convenient place and saves users the trouble of moving from one website to another just to find the style they need. For anyone working with Urdu on the internet, this kind of resource is both practical and long overdue.
On the occasion of the launch, Shakir-ul-Qadree, founder of AlQalam Organization, shared an introductory note about the library on Urdu Mahfil Forum. Another attractive introduction had also appeared on the blog of Muhib Alvi in December 2010. Although that blog has been offline for quite some time, the text was preserved and is being shared here with due thanks.
Jameel Khatt Numa — A Font Application
UrduLog Font Showcase is more than a simple website. It works like a font application and offers features similar to Microsoft Excel, including grouping, sorting, and filtering. At the time of its release, it already included more than 400 fonts, and nearly all of them could be downloaded free of cost, except for the PDMS fonts, which numbered around thirteen.
This web application was launched on 25 November and, within just one month, it recorded at least 555 font download users and more than 10,000 font downloads. For any Urdu-related application, that was a significant achievement.
Jameel Khatt Numa functions mainly as a font cataloging service. It is open-source and shows a clear preference for Urdu fonts. If the code for a font is available, it can also be downloaded along with the font file. The middle section of the application is devoted to grouping and sorting fonts by name, family, style, and size.
The listing grid in the center makes the service especially easy to use. Features such as double-click, right-click, tooltips, and hidden menu tooltips have made the application both interesting and highly practical. On the right side, there is a display panel designed with developers in mind, where CSS can also be obtained. The lower section shows the actual font preview along with related information.
At present, this font application is hosted on three different sites:
UrduLog Font Showcase
UrduWeb Font Server
Jahan-e-Qalam
Why it matters
For Urdu users, designers, developers, and publishers, a reliable font catalogue is an essential digital resource. It supports better typography, easier access to Urdu script, and wider use of Urdu in digital publishing. More importantly, it helps preserve the visual richness of Urdu by making a diverse collection of fonts available to everyone.