Barcode Generator

Barcodes run on a half-dozen different symbologies, each with its own rules about allowed characters, length, check digits, and density. Picking the right one and generating a scannable image used to require expensive desktop software or vendor-specific tools. This generator covers every commonly-used barcode symbology in the browser, lets you preview and tune the output, and downloads as PNG or SVG for print, label, or screen use.

Code 128 is the workhorse — dense, supports all 128 ASCII characters, and scans reliably. Use it for shipping labels, warehouse bins, and anywhere you need a flexible alphanumeric code. EAN-13 and UPC-A are the retail standards printed on every product in a supermarket. Code 39 is the older, sparser symbology still used in logistics and military applications. ITF-14 is for shipping cartons. Codabar is common in libraries and blood banks. Each has different input constraints, and the tool validates your input against the symbology before rendering.

Size, height, and label options are configurable. Setting the correct width (in bar module size or overall pixel width) and height matters for scanner reliability — too small and you get read failures, too large wastes label real estate. The tool shows a live preview, a recommended print DPI, and a downloadable SVG that scales cleanly to any size. For batch generation of similar barcodes, pair this tool with the bulk QR generator or an automated script using the same library under the hood.

Barcodes are an encoding of digits or alphanumeric text into patterns of vertical bars and spaces of varying widths. A scanner reads the widths and decodes them back to characters. Different symbologies handle different character sets and density tradeoffs.

Common symbologies covered here:
- Code 128: encodes full ASCII, uses three subsets (A, B, C) with auto-switching, includes a mandatory check digit. The densest general-purpose code.
- Code 39: encodes A-Z, 0-9, and a few specials. Less dense than 128 but visually recognizable and still widely used in defense and auto industries.
- EAN-13: 13 digits including country prefix, manufacturer code, product code, and check digit. The standard retail barcode outside the US.
- EAN-8: 8 digits, compact version for small products.
- UPC-A: 12 digits, the standard retail barcode in North America.
- UPC-E: 8 digits, compressed UPC-A for small products.
- ITF-14: 14 digits for shipping cartons in GS1 systems.
- Codabar: 0-9 plus a few specials; self-checking; used in libraries and medicine.
- MSI Plessey: numeric only, used in some inventory systems.
- Pharmacode: numeric only, used for pharmaceutical packaging verification.

This tool validates input per symbology, computes check digits automatically for EAN/UPC/ITF, and renders using the JsBarcode/bwip-js style library. Output is vector SVG (infinitely scalable for print) or PNG rasterized at a chosen DPI for immediate use. Always test scan with your actual scanner before mass-printing — scanner tolerance and label printer quality can interact in surprising ways.

Dedicated barcode apps and desktop tools are powerful but expensive and overkill for simple labels. Online generators often cover only one or two symbologies or add watermarks. Command-line libraries like JsBarcode, bwip-js, and Python's python-barcode work well but require code. This tool gives you every popular symbology in a single browser interface, with validation, check-digit automation, size controls, and both SVG and PNG download. Perfect for occasional batches and anyone who needs a reliable scan-ready barcode without setup.