HarfBuzz 4.0 Released For This Open-Source Text Shaping Library

[phoronix]

Phoronix: HarfBuzz 4.0 Released For This Open-Source Text Shaping Library

The HarfBuzz open-source text shaping library that is used by GNOME/GTK, KDE/Qt, Android, Java, Flutter, Firefox, LibreOffice, and numerous other applications and toolkits is out with HarfBuzz 4.0...

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=HarfBuzz-4.0

[willmore]

What great news! Keep up the good work and thank you for your efforts!

[bug77]

Not that Java is relevant on the desktop anymore (assuming it ever was), but I'm curious when will this make it's way into a proper (LTS) release.

[RahulSundaram]

Not that Java is relevant on the desktop anymore (assuming it ever was), but I'm curious when will this make it's way into a proper (LTS) release.

LTS comes out every 3 years or so. The last LTS was only in Sept 2021, so you will have to wait for a few years still.

[bug77]

LTS comes out every 3 years or so. The last LTS was only in Sept 2021, so you will have to wait for a few years still.

I believe it's every two years now. But I'm not convince it will actually make it into the next LTS. Hence my question.

[RahulSundaram]

I believe it's every two years now. But I'm not convince it will actually make it into the next LTS. Hence my question.

Why wouldn't it? Java regular rebases for the latest version of harfbuzz already

[arQon]

Can someone who's used this explain to me why I would ever prefer it to FreeType?

[RahulSundaram]

Can someone who's used this explain to me why I would ever prefer it to FreeType?

You wouldn't. Many software components use both because they serve related but different purposes. Freetype does individual glyphs and harfbuzz is responsible for shaping and integrates with freetype, refer to https://harfbuzz.github.io/integration-freetype.html

[bug77]

Why wouldn't it? Java regular rebases for the latest version of harfbuzz already

Thanks, that's the part I was missing.
With Java moving at a glacial pace, I wasn't sure where they are wrt to 3rd party dependencies.

/subj (the thread isn't about Java)

[arQon]

You wouldn't.

Thanks for the link.

As you say, in (at least) my case, I don't see HarfBuzz really adding anything of value. Still, it's nice to know it's there on the offchance that I might want it someday.