Review and Clarification Needed – Italic Axis and Metadata in fontinfo.plist (CascadiaCode-Bold.ufo) #806
Description
File: sources/CascadiaCode-Bold.ufo/fontinfo.plist
Context: Reviewing metadata and axes for variable font compatibility & clarity
Observations
Italic Axis Presence
The current fontinfo.plist structure does not explicitly indicate an Italic axis or any metadata to clarify style linking or how Italic/Oblique variants are handled within the variable font.
In some workflows/editors, this can make automation, style linking, or even basic usage confusing, especially for users trying to script or customize the font (see details here).
Metadata Consistency
A lot of the core metadata is clean and thorough, but I noticed there’s little/no documentation about the variable axes supported, their intended usage, or any conventions diverging from “standard” GF or MS fonts.
Suggestions
Explicitly Document Italic Axis (or lack thereof):
If the font intentionally omits an Italic axis, or handles style linking in a particular way, it would be helpful to add a note either in the fontinfo.plist or the repo docs to clarify the design decision.
This saves future confusion and reduces the chance of repeated issues for those trying to contribute or integrate with toolchains that expect certain axes.
Metadata Improvements:
Consider adding comments or fields clarifying axis support and style linking logic, especially for devs who want to build/modify variants or add automation.
Why It Matters
Many users (especially devs and automation nerds) rely on metadata and axis declarations to drive their setups.
A little extra clarity in the plist (or docs) could save a lot of back-and-forth and make it easier for new contributors to get up to speed.
Let me know if this is intentional, or if there’s room to clarify or improve the metadata! Happy to help PR or test any changes.