See Special:WhatLinksHere/User:Radixcc/ArabicFontStackTest for discussion.
Improve the font stack for Arabic. I have run into problems with rendering on some devices with the current list.
Prefer fonts easy to read for beginners, easy to read small, yet not annoying to native readers of Arabic (this does not address Persian languages or Urdu). Diacritics must render properly.
The best style for this is "simplified" Naskh script because it is most typically used in textbooks and as writing exemplars for learning basic writing. Larger loops and teeth as in فاسد are preferred over tiny subtle features that are harder for beginners to recognize. Kufi script is a bit too stylized for those just learning, and nastiliq is even harder for beginners. Nastiliq requires advanced font rendering support (Graphite, etc) to work properly anyway.
'The other problem is that diacritics need to render properly. This is a problem with some fonts on some systems.
Possible font stack for default Arabic script, Modern Standard Arabic, and default for any non-Persian dialects:
Both sides should match. Are there any other problem cases?
Font | Source | Arabic specimen | Arabic specimen with diacritic order forced
|
Droid Arabic Naskh | Web Font, Linux | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
KacstOne | Linux | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
Noto Naskh Arabic | Linux | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
Damascus | Apple | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
Geeza Pro | Apple | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
Simplified Arabic | Windows | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
Arabic Transparent | Windows | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
Traditional Arabic | Windows | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
Arabic Typesetting | Windows | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
Noto Serif | Linux | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
DejaVu Serif | Linux | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
Arial | Core | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
Times New Roman | Core | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
Georgia | Core | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
Trebuchet MS | Core | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
Verdana | Core | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
serif | Alias | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |
sans-serif | Alias | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ | ظل ظِلٌّ ظِلٍّ الْظِلُّ الْظِلِّ ظِلًّا الْظِلَّ |