Kalam
Kalam is a handwriting font in 3 weights. Its lowercase letters are 17% narrower than the typical handwriting font. Last updated 11 September 2025.
Editing a PDF that uses Kalam
Most PDFs embed only the letters they already use. Type a new letter and many editors either refuse or swap in a different font. MythosPDF recognises Kalam from the widths stored in your PDF, loads the complete open font, and sets your new text in Kalam itself. The rest of the page is carried over untouched.
Measured metrics
| Average lowercase letter width | 452.7 units per 1000 em |
|---|---|
| Average capital letter width | 593.7 units per 1000 em |
| Word space | 401 units per 1000 em |
| Digits | proportional (digit widths differ) |
| Spacing | proportional |
| Width of i compared with m | 30% |
| Printable ASCII characters covered | 94 of 94 |
| Category | Handwriting |
Weights and styles
Languages beyond basic Latin
Open fonts closest to Kalam
Measured on every printable character both fonts contain. A smaller difference means the same words take the same space, so lines break in the same places.
- Tillana Regularloosely similar widths (42.8 units)
- Asar Regularloosely similar widths (47.7 units)
- Averia Sans Libre Regularloosely similar widths (47.9 units)
- Courgette Regularloosely similar widths (50.1 units)
- Yantramanav Regularloosely similar widths (50.1 units)
- Comic Neue Regularloosely similar widths (50.8 units)
- Signika Regularloosely similar widths (51.1 units)
- Signika Negative Regularloosely similar widths (51.2 units)
Compare Kalam
Questions people ask
+Can I edit a PDF that uses Kalam?
Yes. Drop the PDF into MythosPDF and click the text. New letters are set in Kalam itself, loaded from the open font, so the edit matches the rest of the page.
+Is Kalam free to use?
Kalam is released under the SIL Open Font License 1.1, an open licence that allows free use in documents, including commercial ones. Check the licence text for your exact use.
+Which font is closest to Kalam?
By measured letter widths, Tillana is the closest match among open fonts (a mean difference of 42.8 units per 1000 em). Text set in one takes almost the same space in the other.
+Which languages does Kalam support?
It includes these character sets: Devanagari, Latin, Central European.
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