Hello fellow typography enthusiasts.

My name is Yanone. I’m a professional type designer, font engineer, and software developer. I noticed some of my fonts and past tools have already been mentioned here on the sub.

Today I’m writing you in my capacity as the creator of Counterpunch, a professional font studio in development, named after the counterpunch, a tool to punch counters into metal type:

https://counterpunch.space

It combines an unprecedented set of features:

• Installation-free browser app, can run offline as a so-called Progressive Web App and open files from your computer natively.
• Variable-first, complex-script-first: Shape any bi-directional complex script and edit all glyphs, marks, and components in-place and in-context.
• Eliminates the tedious edit-compile-test cycle of traditional font development as the font you see in the editor is a 100% complete OpenType font, shaped by the industry-leading Harfbuzz engine, so you can ship fonts faster and with more confidence.
• Visual glyph overview filters implemented as Python code, not limited to point-and-click interfaces. Inspect anything directly in the glyph overview.
• AI assistant (free credit included) helps with creating reusable Python scripts and the glyph filters. It can analyze and debug complex technical issues in your font and change data on request, help with font engineering or using the app.
• Wide arrangement of Python plugin types to extend the font building experience with OpenType feature code generators, glyph composition recipes, language and character set definitions, filters, visual plugins etc. available via a plugin manager and commercial marketplace (in development)
• Live online collaboration (requires paid subscription; in development)

Major versions are hosted on https://editor.counterpunch.space

Preview versions that update every other day are on https://preview.editor.counterpunch.space

Until further notice I recommend that you try the preview builds, as these receive regular bugfixes and new features.

The app is cached permanently in your browser. Simply reloading the page will not update it. A notification dot in the title bar leads you to an update button in the preferences pane when either of the above locations ship a new version.

Recommended browsers are Chrome/Chromium, Safari, and Edge.

Other browser may work but lack essential features that Counterpunch builds on, such as disk access.

Mobile browsers are not supported at this point.

The app is published under the GPLv3 license: https://github.com/counterpunchspace/editor

Since it’s still in Alpha, some feature are still missing, such as automatic OpenType features. Drawing tools are very basic. Here’s an overview.

Online collaboration and other future services are a paid commercial extension. I’m aiming to build a business around the editor that will support the future development by selling online services but keeping the main editor freely usable even without a user account.

I’m currently the only person making Counterpunch, with UI/UX design consultancy by Otto Kolleß.

I write code since I was 13 and design stuff since 15 years old. I have 24 years of experience in type design and 19 years in font engineering. I hold degrees in visual communication as well as type and media, and I’m a multiple-award-winning practicing type designer and font engineer. I’ve contracted for some of the biggest names in the industry, including 6 years as a font engineer for Google Fonts.

Counterpunch is my attempt to make all of my decades-old experience and ideas into one coherent, next-level font studio.

Counterpunch wouldn’t be possible without the amazing open-source components it builds on: Babelfont for source file I/O and handoff to fontc, HarfBuzz for shaping, and fontc for compilation.

I’m here to help if you run into problems.

Or you could write to [hello@counterpunch.space](mailto:hello@counterpunch.space) or raise issues at https://github.com/counterpunchspace/editor/issues. Please punch holes in the app or request features. As with every app, I will try to balance my own vision for it with demand from the community.

Since promotional posts not generally accepted here (I did ask mods beforehand), it’s probably best to follow my profile at u/counterpunch-space where I’ll keep posting about updates regularly, and will only return with a post on the sub for major versions or announcements. Edit: You can't follow my profile; I don't have that setting. Please follow any of the other social media channels linked at the bottom of https://counterpunch.space

Currently planning to announce Beta stage in October at ATypI 2026 in Sharjah where I’ll hold a workshop on Wednesday and a presentation on Saturday. Come say hi.

I want to build out the idea space a bit more until then. I have a looong list of ideas that are not yet implemented or even mentioned anywhere. Let’s see how far I can push it.