font-variant-alternates

The font-variant-alternates CSS property controls the usage of alternate glyphs. These alternate glyphs may be referenced by alternative names defined in @font-feature-values.

/* Keyword values */
font-variant-alternates: normal;
font-variant-alternates: historical-forms;

/* Functional notation values */
font-variant-alternates: stylistic(user-defined-ident);
font-variant-alternates: styleset(user-defined-ident);
font-variant-alternates: character-variant(user-defined-ident);
font-variant-alternates: swash(user-defined-ident);
font-variant-alternates: ornaments(user-defined-ident);
font-variant-alternates: annotation(user-defined-ident);
font-variant-alternates: swash(ident1) annotation(ident2);

/* Global values */
font-variant-alternates: initial;
font-variant-alternates: inherit;
font-variant-alternates: revert;
font-variant-alternates: unset;

The @font-feature-values at-rule can define names for alternative glyph functions (stylistic, styleset, character-variant, swash, ornament or annotation), associating the name with OpenType parameters. This property allows those human-readable names (defined in @font-feature-values) in the stylesheet.

Syntax

This property may take one of two forms:

either the keyword normal
or one or more of the other keywords and functions listed below, space-separated, in any order.

Values

normal: This keyword deactivates alternate glyphs.
historical-forms: This keyword enables historical forms — glyphs that were common in the past but not today. It corresponds to the OpenType value hist.
stylistic(): This function enables stylistic alternates for individual characters. The parameter is a font-specific name mapped to a number. It corresponds to the OpenType value salt, like salt 2.
styleset(): This function enables stylistic alternatives for sets of characters. The parameter is a font-specific name mapped to a number. It corresponds to the OpenType value ssXY, like ss02.
character-variant(): This function enables specific stylistic alternatives for characters. It is similar to styleset(), but doesn't create coherent glyphs for a set of characters; individual characters will have independent and not necessarily coherent styles. The parameter is a font-specific name mapped to a number. It corresponds to the OpenType value cvXY, like cv02.
swash(): This function enables swash glyphs. The parameter is a font-specific name mapped to a number. It corresponds to the OpenType values swsh and cswh, like swsh 2 and cswh 2.
ornaments(): This function enables ornaments, like fleurons and other dingbat glyphs. The parameter is a font-specific name mapped to a number. It corresponds to the OpenType value ornm, like ornm 2.

Note: In order to preserve text semantics, font designers should include ornaments that don't match Unicode dingbat characters as ornamental variants of the bullet character (U+2022). Be aware that some existing fonts don't follow this advice.
annotation(): This function enables annotations, like circled digits or inverted characters. The parameter is a font-specific name mapped to a number. It corresponds to the OpenType value nalt, like nalt 2.

Formal definition

Initial value	`normal`
Applies to	all elements. It also applies to `::first-letter` and `::first-line`.
Inherited	yes
Computed value	as specified
Animation type	discrete

Formal syntax

normal | [ stylistic( <feature-value-name> ) || historical-forms || styleset( <feature-value-name># ) || character-variant( <feature-value-name># ) || swash( <feature-value-name> ) || ornaments( <feature-value-name> ) || annotation( <feature-value-name> ) ]where 
<feature-value-name> = <custom-ident>

Examples

HTML

<p>Firefox rocks!</p>
<p class="variant">Firefox rocks!</p>

CSS

@font-feature-values "Leitura Display Swashes" {
    @swash { fancy: 1 }
}

p {
  font-size: 1.5rem;
}

.variant {
  font-family: Leitura Display Swashes;
  font-variant-alternates: swash(fancy);
}

Result

Note: You need to install the OpenType font Leitura Display Swashes for this example to work. You can find a few free versions for testing purposes, for example from fontsgeek.com.

Specifications

Not part of any standard.

Browser compatibility

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	WebView Android	Chrome Android	Firefox for Android	Opera Android	Safari on IOS	Samsung Internet
`font-variant-alternates`	No	No	34	No	No	9.1	No	No	34	No	9.3	No
`annotation`	No	No	34	No	No	No	No	No	34	No	No	No
`character_variant`	No	No	34	No	No	No	No	No	34	No	No	No
`ornaments`	No	No	34	No	No	No	No	No	34	No	No	No
`styleset`	No	No	34	No	No	No	No	No	34	No	No	No
`stylistic`	No	No	34	No	No	No	No	No	34	No	No	No
`swash`	No	No	34	No	No	No	No	No	34	No	No	No