typeset

name	typeset
description	Improves typography by fixing font choices, hierarchy, sizing, weight, and readability so text feels intentional. Use when the user mentions fonts, type, readability, text hierarchy, sizing looks off, or wants more polished, intentional typography.
argument-hint	[target]
user-invocable	true

Assess and improve typography that feels generic, inconsistent, or poorly structured — turning default-looking text into intentional, well-crafted type.

MANDATORY PREPARATION

Invoke {{command_prefix}}frontend-design — it contains design principles, anti-patterns, and the Context Gathering Protocol. Follow the protocol before proceeding — if no design context exists yet, you MUST run {{command_prefix}}teach-impeccable first.

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Assess Current Typography

Analyze what's weak or generic about the current type:

1. Font choices:

   • Are we using invisible defaults? (Inter, Roboto, Arial, Open Sans, system defaults)
   • Does the font match the brand personality? (A playful brand shouldn't use a corporate typeface)
   • Are there too many font families? (More than 2-3 is almost always a mess)

2. Hierarchy:

   • Can you tell headings from body from captions at a glance?
   • Are font sizes too close together? (14px, 15px, 16px = muddy hierarchy)
   • Are weight contrasts strong enough? (Medium vs Regular is barely visible)

3. Sizing & scale:

   • Is there a consistent type scale, or are sizes arbitrary?
   • Does body text meet minimum readability? (16px+)
   • Is the sizing strategy appropriate for the context? (Fixed rem scales for app UIs; fluid clamp() for marketing/content page headings)

4. Readability:

   • Are line lengths comfortable? (45-75 characters ideal)
   • Is line-height appropriate for the font and context?
   • Is there enough contrast between text and background?

5. Consistency:

   • Are the same elements styled the same way throughout?
   • Are font weights used consistently? (Not bold in one section, semibold in another for the same role)
   • Is letter-spacing intentional or default everywhere?

CRITICAL: The goal isn't to make text "fancier" — it's to make it clearer, more readable, and more intentional. Good typography is invisible; bad typography is distracting.

Plan Typography Improvements

Consult the typography reference from the frontend-design skill for detailed guidance on scales, pairing, and loading strategies.

Create a systematic plan:

• Font selection: Do fonts need replacing? What fits the brand/context?
• Type scale: Establish a modular scale (e.g., 1.25 ratio) with clear hierarchy
• Weight strategy: Which weights serve which roles? (Regular for body, Semibold for labels, Bold for headings — or whatever fits)
• Spacing: Line-heights, letter-spacing, and margins between typographic elements

Improve Typography Systematically

Font Selection

If fonts need replacing:

• Choose fonts that reflect the brand personality
• Pair with genuine contrast (serif + sans, geometric + humanist) — or use a single family in multiple weights
• Ensure web font loading doesn't cause layout shift (font-display: swap, metric-matched fallbacks)

Establish Hierarchy

Build a clear type scale:

• 5 sizes cover most needs: caption, secondary, body, subheading, heading
• Use a consistent ratio between levels (1.25, 1.333, or 1.5)
• Combine dimensions: Size + weight + color + space for strong hierarchy — don't rely on size alone
• App UIs: Use a fixed rem-based type scale, optionally adjusted at 1-2 breakpoints. Fluid sizing undermines the spatial predictability that dense, container-based layouts need
• Marketing / content pages: Use fluid sizing via clamp(min, preferred, max) for headings and display text. Keep body text fixed

Fix Readability

• Set max-width on text containers using ch units (max-width: 65ch)
• Adjust line-height per context: tighter for headings (1.1-1.2), looser for body (1.5-1.7)
• Increase line-height slightly for light-on-dark text
• Ensure body text is at least 16px / 1rem

Refine Details

• Use tabular-nums for data tables and numbers that should align
• Apply proper letter-spacing: slightly open for small caps and uppercase, default or tight for large display text
• Use semantic token names (--text-body, --text-heading), not value names (--font-16)
• Set font-kerning: normal and consider OpenType features where appropriate

Weight Consistency

• Define clear roles for each weight and stick to them
• Don't use more than 3-4 weights (Regular, Medium, Semibold, Bold is plenty)
• Load only the weights you actually use (each weight adds to page load)

NEVER:

• Use more than 2-3 font families
• Pick sizes arbitrarily — commit to a scale
• Set body text below 16px
• Use decorative/display fonts for body text
• Disable browser zoom (user-scalable=no)
• Use px for font sizes — use rem to respect user settings
• Default to Inter/Roboto/Open Sans when personality matters
• Pair fonts that are similar but not identical (two geometric sans-serifs)

Verify Typography Improvements

• Hierarchy: Can you identify heading vs body vs caption instantly?
• Readability: Is body text comfortable to read in long passages?
• Consistency: Are same-role elements styled identically throughout?
• Personality: Does the typography reflect the brand?
• Performance: Are web fonts loading efficiently without layout shift?
• Accessibility: Does text meet WCAG contrast ratios? Is it zoomable to 200%?

Remember: Typography is the foundation of interface design — it carries the majority of information. Getting it right is the highest-leverage improvement you can make.