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Source: HashiCorp.
HashiCorp unifies brand with custom typeface from XYZ Type
San Francisco-based
HashiCorp
, which helps businesses manage the complexities of cloud environments, decided to refresh their brand typography in 2024. TN partner foundry
XYZ Type
designed a custom typeface for HashiCorp, refining and unifying its visual identity across its extensive product range.
Before the redesign, HashiCorp relied on two contrasting typefaces: Klavika and Gilmer. Klavika’s narrow, straight-edged design gave their logo and product wordmarks a dated, tech-heavy appearance, while Gilmer’s geometric style caused readability issues in long, technical words like “infrastructure.” These conflicting typefaces resulted in an inconsistent visual language among HashiCorp's various offerings.
Ben Kiel and Jesse Ragan make useful, quietly offbeat fonts at their independent digital foundry, XYZ Type, which operates in the interwebs between St. Louis and New York.
XYZ Type collaborated closely with HashiCorp’s internal team to replace these fonts with a cohesive, custom typeface, aiming to reflect the company's reputation for innovation while preserving its approachable tone. Jesse Ragan and Ben Kiel led the design effort, presenting several initial concepts, which were refined into a working prototype. Type designer Inga Plönnigs later took over to refine and finalize the design.
“XYZ gave me a lot of creative freedom to add my personal touch to the typeface,” says Plönnigs. “Balancing unique character with brand-appropriate neutrality was the challenge I enjoyed the most, particularly in integrating ink traps without letting them dominate the design.”
Source: HashiCorp
The custom typeface had to adapt to various uses—from branding to product labels to article headlines—while conveying both technical precision and a human touch. Drawing on neogrotesque design principles, XYZ Type crafted a typeface that balances crisp geometry with organic curves, ensuring it feels both contemporary and approachable.
Details like the curves of the letters G, a, and e were softened, allowing for a more fluid, natural appearance. By avoiding rigid, grid-like structures, the typeface captures a more human element while still reflecting HashiCorp's technological roots. Playful touches, such as the double-story g and the distinctive curve of the capital R, provide a nod to typographic tradition while keeping the design fresh.
We admired XYZ Type’s investigative, process-oriented approach. Instead of following trends, they draw upon a brand’s core identity and historical context to create a tailored typographic solution.
—Coon Lam, Senior Director at HashiCorp’s Brand Studio.
The new typeface was quickly put to use for HashiCorp’s various sub-brands.
“The prominent crossbar at the center of the symbol is reflected in the unexpected bridges at diagonal joins of A, k, w and y. The flat strokes of J, Q, a, i and t echo that horizontal movement, integrating a sense of flow into a cohesive visual language.” — XYZ Type
HashiCorp’s strong developer community informed key elements of the design. Developers rely on clear, distinct letterforms to avoid confusion in coding environments, where a simple misread character can cause major issues. To accommodate this, XYZ Type ensured that traditionally similar characters—like i, l, and 1—were clearly differentiated. This practical approach to character clarity became a defining feature of the design, with the alternate i in the main logotype showcasing this thoughtfulness.
Ink traps, originally used in print to reduce ink buildup, became a key aesthetic feature in HashiCorp’s custom typeface. Rather than simply functional, these cuts were designed to add visual interest and dimension, turning them into a subtle but striking design element. The ink traps help balance the technical and organic aspects of the typeface, creating a distinctive, engaging appearance that feels engineered without being overbearing.
“[The ink traps] emphasize the precise nature of the typeface in a visually engaging way, and, as a treat, they also work for you when you don’t notice them.” — XYZ Type
When HashiCorp launched The Infrastructure Cloud in 2024, their new custom typeface was front and center, helping to unify the branding across their extensive product ecosystem. From wordmarks to internal communications, the new typeface became an integral part of HashiCorp’s visual identity, reinforcing their image as a company rooted in both trust and innovation.
XYZ Type’s custom typeface seamlessly integrated HashiCorp’s needs, blending technical expertise with a friendly, human quality. The result is a versatile, distinctive font that unifies the brand's message and elevates its visual identity across all platforms.
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