font-size : The Font Size Property

The font-size property sets the size of text in PDF documents. It accepts absolute length values (points, pixels, etc.) or predefined keyword values that map to specific point sizes. Font size is fundamental to text rendering and affects the visual hierarchy and readability of PDF content.

On this page

Usage
Values
Notes
Data Binding
- Binding Syntax
- Data Binding Examples
Examples
See Also

Usage

/* Absolute units */
font-size: 12pt;
font-size: 16px;
font-size: 1.2em;
font-size: 2rem;

/* Keyword values */
font-size: medium;
font-size: large;
font-size: x-small;

Values

Predefined Keywords

xx-small - 6pt - Extra extra small text
x-small - 8pt - Extra small text
small - 10pt - Small text
medium - 12pt - Medium/normal text (default)
large - 16pt - Large text
x-large - 24pt - Extra large text
xx-large - 32pt - Extra extra large text

Absolute Units

pt (points) - Standard typographic unit (1pt = 1/72 inch): 12pt, 14pt
px (pixels) - Pixel units: 16px, 20px
in (inches) - Inches: 0.5in
cm (centimeters) - Centimeters: 1cm
mm (millimeters) - Millimeters: 10mm

Relative Units

em - Relative to parent element’s font size: 1.5em, 0.8em
rem - Relative to root element’s font size: 1.2rem
% (percentage) - Percentage of parent’s font size: 120%, 80%

Expression Support

calc() - Calculate font size: calc(12pt + 2pt)
var() - Use CSS variables: var(--base-font-size)

Unsupported Values

larger - Recognized but not applied
smaller - Recognized but not applied

Notes

Points (pt) are the recommended unit for PDF generation as they map directly to print measurements
The default font size is typically 12pt (medium)
Relative units (em, rem, %) are calculated based on parent or root font sizes
Keywords provide consistent sizing across documents
Font size affects line height calculations when using relative line-height values
Very small font sizes (below 6pt) may reduce readability in printed PDFs
Expression binding is supported for dynamic font sizing

Data Binding

CSS properties support dynamic values through Scryber’s Handlebars-style data binding syntax using {{expression}} in inline styles. This enables font-size to be determined dynamically based on model data, user preferences, or document requirements.

Binding Syntax

Data binding expressions are enclosed in double curly braces {{}} and can reference:

Model properties: {{model.propertyName}}
Nested data: {{customer.preferences.fontSize}}
Conditional expressions: {{condition ? valueIfTrue : valueIfFalse}}

Data Binding Examples

<!-- Dynamic font size from model -->
<p style="font-size: {{customer.preferredFontSize}}pt">
    Text sized according to customer preference
</p>

<!-- Conditional sizing based on importance -->
<div style="font-size: {{isImportant ? '16pt' : '12pt'}}">
    {{message}}
</div>

<!-- Responsive sizing for different document sections -->
<body>
    <h1 style="font-size: {{styles.heading1Size}}pt">
        {{title}}
    </h1>
    <h2 style="font-size: {{styles.heading2Size}}pt">
        {{subtitle}}
    </h2>
    <p style="font-size: {{styles.bodySize}}pt">
        {{content}}
    </p>

    <!-- Size based on document type -->
    <div style="font-size: {{documentType == 'invoice' ? '10pt' : '11pt'}}">
        Standard body text with type-specific sizing
    </div>
</body>

Note: Bound font-size values should include units (e.g., ‘pt’, ‘px’). Ensure the bound data provides valid CSS length values to avoid rendering issues.

Examples

Example 1: Standard Point Size

<p style="font-size: 12pt">
    Standard body text at 12 points
</p>

Example 2: Keyword Size

<div style="font-size: medium">
    Medium-sized text (12pt)
</div>

Example 3: Large Heading

<h1 style="font-size: 24pt">
    Document Title
</h1>

Example 4: Extra Large Keyword

<div style="font-size: x-large">
    Extra large heading text (24pt)
</div>

Example 5: Small Print

<span style="font-size: xx-small">
    Fine print disclaimer text (6pt)
</span>

Example 6: Pixel-Based Size

<div style="font-size: 16px">
    Text sized in pixels
</div>

Example 7: Relative Em Size

<p style="font-size: 12pt">
    Parent text at 12pt
    <span style="font-size: 1.5em">larger nested text (18pt)</span>
</p>

Example 8: Root Em Size

<body style="font-size: 12pt">
    <div style="font-size: 1.5rem">
        Text at 1.5 times root size (18pt)
    </div>
</body>

Example 9: Percentage Size

<div style="font-size: 16pt">
    <span style="font-size: 75%">Smaller text (12pt)</span>
</div>

Example 10: Invoice Header Sizes

<div style="font-size: xx-large">INVOICE</div>
<div style="font-size: large">#INV-2024-001</div>
<div style="font-size: medium">Date: January 1, 2024</div>

Example 11: Table Font Sizes

<table>
    <thead style="font-size: 10pt">
        <tr><th>Item</th><th>Price</th></tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody style="font-size: 9pt">
        <tr><td>Widget</td><td>$10.00</td></tr>
    </tbody>
</table>

Example 12: Hierarchical Sizes

<h1 style="font-size: 20pt">Main Title</h1>
<h2 style="font-size: 16pt">Subtitle</h2>
<h3 style="font-size: 14pt">Section Heading</h3>
<p style="font-size: 11pt">Body text content</p>

Example 13: Report Cover Page

<div style="font-size: 32pt; font-weight: bold">
    ANNUAL REPORT
</div>
<div style="font-size: 24pt">
    Financial Year 2024
</div>
<div style="font-size: 14pt">
    Prepared by Finance Department
</div>

Example 14: Form Labels and Values

<div>
    <label style="font-size: small">Customer Name:</label>
    <span style="font-size: medium">John Smith</span>
</div>

Example 15: Dynamic PDF Content

<div style="font-size: 12pt">
    <h2 style="font-size: 1.5em">Section Title (18pt)</h2>
    <p>
        This document demonstrates various font sizes suitable for
        PDF generation. The base size is 12pt with headings scaled
        proportionally using em units.
    </p>
    <p style="font-size: 0.9em">
        Slightly smaller supplementary text (10.8pt) for additional
        information that should be readable but less prominent.
    </p>
    <footer style="font-size: x-small">
        Page footer with small text (8pt)
    </footer>
</div>