U8x8 Fonts -
By eliminating layout calculations and frame buffer transfers, U8x8 updates screens significantly faster than standard graphics modes, making it ideal for low-power or high-refresh-rate applications. U8g2 vs. U8x8: When to Use Which?
The U8g2 library includes a tool called bdfconv (BDF Converter). BDF (Glyph Bitmap Distribution Format) is a standard text-based font format.
The U8g2 repository includes a tool called . This command-line utility converts standard .bdf font files (a classic digital font format) into the exact C-code arrays used by the U8x8 library. By drawing an 8x8 pixel alphabet in a free editor like FontForge, you can export a BDF file, pass it through the converter, and create a completely proprietary font array for your project. u8x8 fonts
: A tall, bold font that takes up one tile horizontally and two tiles vertically. Ideal for compact status bars. Icon and Symbol Fonts
| Feature | U8g2 | U8x8 | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Requires a screen buffer in RAM, often needing 1 KB or more for typical 128x64 displays | Uses minimal RAM, usually just a few bytes for state management | | Graphics Capabilities | Full support for drawing lines, circles, rectangles, images, and pixel manipulation | Text-only output with no pixel-level drawing | | Font Support | Extensive range of fonts with varying sizes (from small 6x10 to large 16x32) | Fonts limited to those that fit within an 8x8 pixel grid | | Rendering Buffer | Uses a page buffer in RAM, requiring memory for temporary frame storage | Writes characters directly to the display without an intermediate buffer | The U8g2 library includes a tool called bdfconv
are designed specifically for the U8x8 subsystem.
The library is built for fast, minimalist projects, with a simple API for basic operations: This command-line utility converts standard
The standard fonts are great, but what if you need Japanese characters, custom icons, or a specific corporate logo? You can create custom u8x8 fonts.
This is a fan favorite. It is a clean, modern sans-serif font designed specifically for small OLEDs. It features distinct letters and good contrast.
No, this isn't a typo. The "3x6" refers to the character spacing , not the tile size. The tile is still 8x8, but the visible glyph is squeezed into a 6-pixel width. This allows you to cram more text onto a single line, but it is almost unreadable for Western languages.
