googlefonts / googlefonts/googlefonts.github.io

Missing info about how google generates static fonts from variable fonts (Roboto)

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Description

Questions I couldn't find an answer to in the documentation:
- How does GF decide if a Font is variable or not? When you take a look at the Roboto entry in the GF-Repository (https://github.com/google/fonts/tree/main/apache/roboto) There are clearly Variable Fonts in the directory and referenced in the Metadata.pb but it is not listed as variable font on google fonts it self (https://fonts.google.com/variablefonts?vfquery=roboto) and the API is also doesn’t respond with a variable font.
- How does Google decide which Fallbacks of an axis are rendered for static purposes? Example: Roboto Condensed exists as its own family on GF but has not font family directory or Metadata.pb file in the Google repository. It clearly must be rendered from the variable font because if it just would be the static directory than there is no explanation why the Medium variant is missing for it on Google fonts but on the other hand this leaves open the question how the weight and width fallbacks are selected for roboto in general because for example the wdth axis has a SemiCondensed variant between Condensed and Normal. Roboto Condensed is also rendered in far less wght variants compared to Roboto.
Another question that I have come up with is whether the GF-Repository (https://github.com/google/fonts ) is the source of truth and if so which branch it is because at the current state in time it seems like it’s not totally in sync with the actual state that is live. Does a different source of truth exist and if so where can I find it?

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