What are barcodes?
A barcode is a machine-readable representation of data using parallel lines of varying widths and spacings. Barcodes are used in retail, logistics, healthcare, and manufacturing to identify products, track inventory, and automate data entry. The most common barcode types include Code 128 (full ASCII), Code 39 (alphanumeric), EAN-13 and EAN-8 (European Article Numbers), and UPC-A (Universal Product Code used in North America).
Choosing the right barcode type
Code 128 is the most versatile, supporting all 128 ASCII characters and producing compact barcodes. Code 39 is simpler and widely used in non-retail environments. EAN-13 is the standard for international retail products (13 digits), while EAN-8 is a shorter version for small packages. UPC-A uses 12 digits and is the standard in the United States and Canada.
Browser-based generation
All barcodes are generated locally in your browser using the Canvas API. No data is sent to any server. Customise the bar width and height, toggle the text label, and download your barcode as a PNG image.