Public Sans is a free, open source sans-serif typeface designed for use in text, display, and user interface applications.
The typeface addresses the need for a neutral, legible font suitable for government and public-sector digital services. Public Sans is derived from Libre Franklin but incorporates refinements aimed at improving clarity and consistency, particularly at small sizes. Key adjustments include regularized stroke weights for cleaner letterforms, non-rounded vertices for a sharper appearance, adjusted vertical metrics that are approximately two percent shorter than its parent with looser default line spacing, and a tailed lowercase l character for better disambiguation. The font is available in multiple formats including webfonts, OpenType fonts for local installation and print, variable fonts, and source files in both Glyphs and UFO plus Designspace formats.
Public Sans suits projects requiring a strong, straightforward typeface with broad weight ranges and good italic support. It performs across headlines, body text, and interface elements, and includes tabular figures for data design applications. The typeface is Latin-only and designed with metrics similar to common system fonts to enable smooth progressive enhancement. Anyone considering adoption should be aware that the project is not currently being actively developed or maintained, though the source font files remain available in the repository.
Development on Public Sans has ceased, with the official website retired and redirected to general typography resources. The font remains at version 2.001 with no ongoing maintenance or updates planned.
