A barcode is a machine-readable representation of information using patterns of different widths of bars and spaces.
Barcodes can be read by optical scanners called bar code readers or scanned from an image by special software. Barcodes are widely used to implement Automatic Identification & Data Capture (AIDC) systems that improve the speed and accuracy of computer data entry.
The barcodes that show data in patterns of parallel bars and spaces are known as one-dimensional symbols, while those that show data in patterns of small squares (similar to a strange looking chess board) are known as two-dimensional symbols. GS1-endorsed barcodes allow the GS1 Identification Keys to be used on things such as trade items, locations, logistic units, and assets.
The more complex barcodes, like GS1-128, GS1 DataBar, GS1 QR Code, GS1 DataMatrix and GS1 DotCode allow attribute information such as batch numbers and expiry dates to be encoded using the GS1 Application Identifiers.
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