Generically, you can use a custom font using @font-face in your CSS. Here's a very basic example:
@font-face {
font-family: 'YourFontName'; /*a name to be used later*/
src: url('http://domain.example/fonts/font.ttf'); /*URL to font*/
}
Then, trivially, to use the font on a specific element:
.classname {
font-family: 'YourFontName';
}
(.classname is your selector).
Note that certain font-formats don't work on all browsers; you can use fontsquirrel.com's generator to avoid too much effort converting.
You can find a nice set of free web-fonts provided by Google Fonts (also has auto-generated CSS @font-face rules, so you don't have to write your own).
while also preventing people from having free access to download the font, if possible
Nope, it isn't possible to style your text with a custom font embedded via CSS, while preventing people from downloading it. You need to use images, Flash, or the HTML5 Canvas, all of which aren't very practical.
there's also an interesting tool called CUFON. There's a demonstration of how to use it in this blog
It's really simple and interesting. Also, it doesn't allow people to ctrl+c/ctrl+v the generated content.
First of all, you can't prevent people from downloading fonts except if it is yours and that usually takes months.
And it makes no sense to prevent people from using fonts.
A lot of fonts that you see on websites can be found on free platforms like the one I mentioned below.
But if you want to implement a font into your website read this:
There is a pretty simple and free way to implement fonts into your website.
I would recommend Google fonts because it is free and easy to use.
For example, I'll use the Bangers font from Google.(https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Bangers?query=bangers&sidebar.open&selection.family=Bangers)
This is how it would look like:
HTML