I have a question about underlines

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I am designing a typeface (top picture) and wondering how to prevent the underline from interfering with the descenders of certain glyphs. I’ve provided an example to illustrate what I mean using Apple’s SF typeface (bottom picture).

I’m using Glyphs App to design my typeface with the “underline” plugin for glyphs. I’m unsure if achieving the same look as in the bottom picture is a feature specific to the website or app where the typeface is used, or if it’s something I can adjust within Glyphs. 

John Hudson

This is something that is handled at the app level, not in the font. You can control the height and thickness of the underline in the font data, but there is no way to specify which glyphs should be skipped in this way.

Thomas Phinney

(Note also that while MANY apps respect the underline position and thickness as set in the font, some do not.)

Johannes Neumeier

And in an web environment the developer can overwrite the position, and the effect seen in your second screenshot can be toggled.