Barcode Generator

A barcode generator takes a piece of text or a string of digits and renders it as the machine-readable striped image that scanners decode. Different barcode formats encode different data — some take any ASCII character, some only digits, some only a fixed length. The right format depends on where the barcode will live: a warehouse slap-on, a retail POS, a pharmacy dispensary, a shipping label. Our generator covers the seven formats that cover ~95% of real-world requests.

Code 128 is the general-purpose workhorse. It accepts any ASCII character, auto-switches between three sub-sets (A, B, C) for best density, and is what most non-retail barcode systems use by default — shipping labels, warehouse bins, internal asset tags. Code 39 is older and less dense but still widely readable; it accepts uppercase letters, digits, and a handful of punctuation marks. It's the format of choice for badges and ID cards.

Retail sits in the EAN/UPC family. EAN-13 is the 13-digit code used worldwide on consumer goods (the 13th digit is a checksum). UPC-A is the 12-digit North American equivalent; the first six digits are the manufacturer code, the next five are the product, the last is checksum. EAN-8 is a short 8-digit variant for small products where EAN-13 does not fit physically. If you're building consumer goods that will ship through retailers, you need a GS1 prefix — you cannot just invent an EAN. For internal use or testing, any valid digit string produces a scannable image.

ITF-14 is the 14-digit Interleaved 2-of-5 code used on shipping containers (cases of retail goods). It encodes the packing hierarchy prefix plus the item EAN. Codabar is a legacy format still used in blood banks, libraries, and some photo-developer workflows. It accepts digits and four special characters (A, B, C, D) as start/stop delimiters.

Design choices affect scan reliability. Bar width (the width of the thinnest bar) must be at least 2 pixels in a printed barcode to survive laser scanners reliably; we default to 2 and go up to 6. Height should be at least 25% of the barcode width — shorter bars are hard to align. Contrast should be strong; stick to dark bars on a light background. Quiet zone (white space at either end) is mandatory; we add one by default.

The generator outputs crisp SVG (use for print) and PNG (use for web). Both are ready to paste into documents or embed in CMSes. Privacy: the barcode renders entirely in your browser via the jsbarcode library — nothing you encode is transmitted or logged.

1. Pick a format. Code 128 for general use, EAN/UPC for retail, Code 39 for badges.
2. Enter the value. Digit length matters for EAN/UPC/ITF; the tool shows an error if the input is invalid.
3. Tune the bar width and height. Width 2+ for print, higher for rough surfaces.
4. Toggle the text label if you want the decoded value printed under the bars.
5. Adjust colour if needed. High contrast on light background scans best.
6. Download SVG or PNG — SVG scales perfectly for print, PNG is easier for HTML embeds.

• Seven formats: Code 128, Code 39, EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, ITF-14, Codabar.
• Adjustable bar width, height, colour, and optional text label.
• SVG for print, PNG for web — both download-ready.
• Checksum handling built in for EAN/UPC/ITF formats.
• Runs entirely in your browser; no uploads, no tracking.