1. The Big Distinction: Legacy (ANSI) Fonts vs. Modern Unicode
To understand the difference, you must first know that Hindi fonts are divided into two main categories: (1) Legacy/ANSI Fonts (like Kruti Dev and DevLys) which replace English characters on your keyboard with Hindi shapes, and (2) Unicode Standards (like Mangal) which assign unique, universal digital code points to every Devanagari character.
- Legacy Fonts (Kruti Dev, DevLys): Data is saved as English letters (e.g. 'fgUnh'). If sent by email or pasted online without the font file, it looks like gibberish.
- Unicode (Mangal): Data is saved as true Devanagari numbers (U+0900 - U+097F). It works universally on WhatsApp, Google searches, smartphones, and web pages without requiring any font installation.
2. Kruti Dev 010 vs. DevLys 010 (Legacy Fonts Compared)
Both Kruti Dev and DevLys are legacy fonts based on the traditional typewriter Remington keyboard layout, but they serve different industries:
- Kruti Dev: The undisputed king of clerical government typing tests in states like UP, MP, Bihar, and Rajasthan (e.g., CPCT, Police, Court exams). Designed for fast typewriter-style entry.
- DevLys: Preferred by book publishers, newspapers, and DTP designers because of its refined, elegant curves, modern stroke serifs, and wide family of weights (010, 020, 040).
3. What is Mangal Font and How Does it Differ?
Mangal is NOT a keyboard layout — it is Microsoft's official Devanagari Unicode font family. When you type in Mangal, you are typing pure Unicode text. You can type in Mangal using either the Remington GAIL layout (via Indic Input 2/3) or the InScript layout. It is the official standard for SSC exams and all digital government databases.
4. Summary Comparison Table (Quick Overview)
Here is how they compare at a glance:
- Kruti Dev 010: Legacy ANSI | Remington Layout | Best for State Govt Typing Tests & Offline Word Docs | Not Web Compatible.
- DevLys 010: Legacy ANSI | Remington Layout | Best for Printing, Newspapers, Novels & Graphic Design | Not Web Compatible.
- Mangal Font: Modern OpenType Unicode | Remington GAIL / InScript | Best for Central Govt Exams (SSC), Websites, Emails & Mobile | 100% Web Compatible.
- Unicode: The Global Character Standard | Applicable across all devices, search engines, and modern applications.