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AFM (Adobe Font Metrics) is a plain-text metadata file that accompanies PostScript Type 1 fonts (.pfb/.pfa). While the PFB file contains the glyph outlines — the actual shapes of the letters — the AFM file tells applications how to use them: character widths, bounding boxes, kerning pairs, ligature definitions, and font-level metrics like ascender height and cap height.
The format is simple and human-readable. Open an AFM file in a text editor and you'll see lines like `C 65 ; WX 722 ; N A ; B 15 0 706 718 ;` — character code 65, width 722 units, name "A", bounding box coordinates. Kerning pairs appear as `KPX A V -80` — move the V 80 units left when it follows an A. It's refreshingly transparent compared to the binary tables in modern font formats.
AFM files are a relic of the Type 1 era. OpenType and TrueType fonts embed all their metrics internally — there's no sidecar file needed. You'll encounter AFMs when working with legacy publishing systems, TeX/LaTeX installations (which still use Type 1 fonts extensively), or when converting old font libraries to modern formats.