This is what I do when I install Arch Linux to improve the fonts.
You may consider the following settings to improve your fonts for system-wide usage without installing a patched font library packages (eg. Infinality):
- Install some fonts, for example:
sudo pacman -S ttf-dejavu ttf-liberation noto-fonts
- Enable font presets by creating symbolic links:
sudo ln -s /etc/fonts/conf.avail/70-no-bitmaps.conf /etc/fonts/conf.d sudo ln -s /etc/fonts/conf.avail/10-sub-pixel-rgb.conf /etc/fonts/conf.d sudo ln -s /etc/fonts/conf.avail/11-lcdfilter-default.conf /etc/fonts/conf.d
The above will disable embedded bitmap for all fonts, enable sub-pixel RGB rendering, and enable the LCD filter which is designed to reduce colour fringing when subpixel rendering is used.
- Enable FreeType subpixel hinting mode by editing:
/etc/profile.d/freetype2.sh
- Uncomment the desired mode at the end:
export FREETYPE_PROPERTIES="truetype:interpreter-version=40"
For font consistency, all applications should be set to use the serif, sans-serif, and monospace aliases, which are mapped to particular fonts by fontconfig.
- Create /etc/fonts/local.conf with following:
<?xml version="1.0"?> <!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd"> <fontconfig> <match> <edit mode="prepend" name="family"><string>Noto Sans</string></edit> </match> <match target="pattern"> <test qual="any" name="family"><string>serif</string></test> <edit name="family" mode="assign" binding="same"><string>Noto Serif</string></edit> </match> <match target="pattern"> <test qual="any" name="family"><string>sans-serif</string></test> <edit name="family" mode="assign" binding="same"><string>Noto Sans</string></edit> </match> <match target="pattern"> <test qual="any" name="family"><string>monospace</string></test> <edit name="family" mode="assign" binding="same"><string>Noto Mono</string></edit> </match> </fontconfig>
- Set your font settings to match above in your DE system settings.
Note: You can use a font family of your choice, other than Noto fonts.
Screenshots from Lenovo 720p Laptop
source: https://www.reddit.com/r/archlinux/comments/5r5ep8/make_your_arch_fonts_beautiful_easily/