A font subset is a customized version of a font that includes only the characters used in a particular document or web page. When you use a subset font, it contains only the glyphs (characters) that are necessary for displaying the text in your document or on your website.

Subsetting fonts can be beneficial for several reasons:

1. Reduced File Size:

By including only the characters needed, subset fonts are smaller in file size compared to the full font. This can be advantageous for web pages or documents where minimizing download times or file size is important.

2. Efficient Resource Usage:

Subsetting fonts can help optimize resource usage, particularly in web development, by loading only the necessary font data, which can improve page loading times and overall performance.

3. Licensing Compliance:

Some font licenses require you to subset fonts when embedding them in documents or web pages. This ensures that you are only using the font as permitted by the license agreement.

4. Security:

Using subset fonts can reduce security risks associated with including unnecessary font data, as it limits potential vulnerabilities related to font rendering.

Overall, font subsetting offers a way to streamline font usage by including only the required characters, leading to more efficient and optimized display of text in various contexts.