U8x8 Fonts Online
Unlike standard fonts that can be any size, U8x8 fonts are strictly tied to a . Every character occupies an
They are packed specifically to fit into the memory constraints of Arduino Uno/Nano (ATmega328P).
Remember that u8x8.drawString(column, row, "text") uses tiles , not pixels. On a 128x64 display, you have 16 columns (0-15) and 8 rows (0-7). The "f" and "r" Suffixes:
// Draw integer int val = 42; u8x8.drawString(0, 2, "Value:"); u8x8.draw2x2String(6, 2, String(val).c_str()); // Draw double size
The setFont() function assigns the font to be used for subsequent drawing operations, while drawString() places text at specified column and row coordinates. On a typical 128×64 display, valid column values range from 0 to 15 (16 columns total), and row values range from 0 to 7 (8 rows total). u8x8 fonts
The draw2x2String or draw2x2Glyph functions scale the 8x8 source glyph into a 16x16 pixel box.
When building embedded systems with microcontrollers like the Arduino Nano, ESP8266, or STM32, memory optimization is often your biggest challenge. If you are using monochrome OLED or LCD screens (such as the ubiquitous SSD1306 128x64 display), the is the industry standard. However, U8g2’s full graphics mode requires a RAM buffer to render lines, circles, and custom fonts, which can easily deplete the memory of a smaller microcontroller.
This technique enables custom effects such as character rotation, inversion, or the creation of animated text elements. The Rotate90.ino example included with the library demonstrates how to rotate an 8×8 tile by 90 degrees.
Includes only numbers and date/time symbols (e.g., . , : , / ). 🚀 Scaling and Limitations Unlike standard fonts that can be any size,
The U8x8 font format is a perfect example of an elegant constraint in embedded design. By sacrificing resolution and aesthetics, it delivers unmatched speed and memory efficiency. For anyone building a text-only user interface on a tiny microcontroller—whether it’s a sensor readout, a serial terminal, or a retro-style status display—U8x8 fonts remain the pragmatic, proven choice.
For developers needing specific aesthetics, the ecosystem is well-supported: u8x8reference · olikraus/u8g2 Wiki - GitHub
It requires almost zero RAM because it does not store a bitmap copy of the screen in your microcontroller's memory.
The choice between U8g2 and U8x8 involves meaningful trade-offs in terms of memory and performance: On a 128x64 display, you have 16 columns
Because of the 8-byte-per-character structure, a complete ASCII font (96 printable characters) would require 96 * 8 = 768 bytes of storage—perfectly comfortable for even the smallest ATmega328P (Arduino Uno) with its 32KB of flash.
Scaling multiplies the base character cell size – useful for headings or low-vision displays.
There are several U8x8 font sets available, including:
Example: u8x8.setFont(u8x8_font_amstrad_cpc_extended_r); u8x8.drawString(0, 0, "Hello World"); u8x8.setFont(u8x8_font_amstrad_cpc_ Arduino Forum
: Specialized fonts containing symbols and icons for UI design. Implementation and Customization