Concept reference
Glossary.
A compact vocabulary map for Runebender, font source workflows, and terms used across these alpha docs.
| Status | Concept reference |
|---|
| Audience | New users, contributors, agents |
|---|
| Source | Runebender docs and common font tooling terms |
|---|
| Stability | Definitions are broad; implementation details may move |
|---|
Sources
Source formats and files| UFO | Unified Font Object. A source font format made of directories and files that can be inspected and versioned. |
|---|
| GLIF | Glyph Interchange Format. The XML file format used for individual glyph data inside UFO sources. |
|---|
| Source-first | The current Runebender workflow: build and run from source rather than downloading a finished release app. |
|---|
| Round trip | Opening, editing, saving, and reopening source data across tools without losing important information. |
|---|
Drawing
Glyph drawing terms| Contour | A path that describes part of a glyph outline. |
|---|
| On-curve point | A point that lies directly on the visible outline. |
|---|
| Off-curve point | A control point used by cubic bezier curves to shape the segment between on-curve points. |
|---|
| Hyperbezier | A Runebender-supported path style where smooth curves are defined by on-curve points and control points are computed automatically. |
|---|
| Cubic | A standard cubic bezier outline representation using explicit off-curve control points. |
|---|
Workflows
Editor workflows| Tracing | Converting a bitmap reference image into editable outline data. |
|---|
| img2bez | The local/offline bitmap-to-bezier tracing path documented for Runebender Xilem. |
|---|
| QuiverAI | An optional cloud vectorization backend for tracing. It requires network access, an API key, and API credits. |
|---|
| Preview mode | A temporary view for inspecting glyph drawing without normal editing handles. |
|---|
Project
Project terms| Runebender Core | The headless Rust crate and CLI direction for non-UI font operations, shared editing state, and data types at eliheuer/runebender-core. |
|---|
| Runebender Xilem | The native Rust/Xilem editor front-end at eliheuer/runebender-xilem. |
|---|
| Runebender Web | The browser editor (Vue/WASM) at eliheuer/runebender-web — the source of the cloud editor on this site. |
|---|
| Runebender Comfy | The ComfyUI node path at eliheuer/runebender-comfy; embeds the editor from runebender-web. |
|---|
| Runebender Druid | The earlier Druid-based editor implementation at linebender/runebender. |
|---|
| Front-end | A host interface built around Runebender editing work. Xilem and Comfy are current examples; more may exist later. |
|---|
| Linebender | The broader Rust UI ecosystem around Xilem and related projects. |
|---|
| Alpha | Useful for experimentation, but not a promise of stable UI, file behavior, or release packaging. |
|---|
