## Validation Error: Generic Font

### Error: When a font-family is specified, a generic family name should be included in the font list

Suppose you have the following declaration in your style sheet:

    font-family: Verdana;

If a visitor to your site doesn't have the Verdana font installed, then the visitor's browser (or OS) will substitute a different font. Rather than rely on font substitution, which may or may not provide a reasonable alternative, it's best to specify a generic font name in addition to a specific font name. Generic fonts (serif, sans-serif, monospace, cursive, or fantasy) are fonts which every CSS-enabled browser must be able to display. So, rather than use the declaration above, you should use:

    font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;

If the visitor's system doesn't have Verdana, then the browser will use the generic sans-serif font instead.

Related topics: Configuring the Style Checker, Font Family

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