barcodefyi

Barcode symbology encyclopedia API client for Python. Look up 50+ barcode formats across 1D linear, 2D matrix, stacked, and composite categories, 30+ international standards from ISO and GS1, anatomy components, check digit algorithms, and GS1 company prefixes from BarcodeFYI -- the comprehensive barcode reference with 518 records covering UPC, EAN, Code 128, QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417, and every major symbology in commercial and industrial use.

Extracted from BarcodeFYI, a barcode symbology platform with 518 records spanning 50+ symbologies, 30+ standards, anatomy breakdowns, and industry-specific encoding guides used by supply chain engineers, retail systems developers, and industrial automation architects worldwide.

Explore barcodes at barcodefyi.com -- Symbology Explorer | Standards Reference | Anatomy Guide | GS1 Prefixes

Table of Contents

• Install
• Quick Start
• What You'll Find on BarcodeFYI
  • 1D Linear Symbologies
  • 2D Matrix Symbologies
  • Stacked and Composite Symbologies
  • GS1 System and Company Prefixes
  • Barcode Anatomy
  • Check Digit Algorithms
  • Key Barcode Standards
• API Endpoints
• Command-Line Interface
• MCP Server (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf)
• REST API Client
• Learn More About Barcodes
• Also Available
• Tag FYI Family
• FYIPedia Developer Tools
• License

Install

pip install barcodefyi[api]     # API client (httpx)
pip install barcodefyi[cli]     # + CLI (typer, rich)
pip install barcodefyi[mcp]     # + MCP server
pip install barcodefyi[all]     # Everything

Quick Start

from barcodefyi.api import BarcodeFYI

with BarcodeFYI() as api:
    # Search symbologies, standards, components, glossary
    results = api.search("upc")
    print(results)

    # Look up a specific symbology by slug
    upc = api.symbology("upc-a")
    print(upc["name"], upc["year_introduced"])  # UPC-A 1974

    # Compare two symbologies side-by-side
    diff = api.compare("upc-a", "ean-13")
    print(diff)

    # Discover a random symbology
    surprise = api.random()
    print(surprise["name"])

What You'll Find on BarcodeFYI

BarcodeFYI is a comprehensive barcode symbology encyclopedia covering 50+ formats across 1D linear, 2D matrix, stacked, and composite categories. Barcodes are machine-readable optical labels that encode data using patterns of bars, spaces, dots, or modules -- the foundation of supply chain management, retail checkout, healthcare tracking, and industrial automation worldwide.

1D Linear Symbologies

One-dimensional barcodes encode data in a single row of bars and spaces. They remain the dominant format in retail and logistics due to omnidirectional scanning, low print cost, and decades of infrastructure investment. Each symbology defines a specific character set, encoding density, and error detection mechanism.

Symbology	Year	Characters	Density	Primary Use
UPC-A	1974	12 numeric	Low	US/Canada retail checkout
UPC-E	1974	8 numeric (compressed)	Low	Small retail items
EAN-13	1977	13 numeric	Low	International retail (GTIN-13)
EAN-8	1977	8 numeric	Low	Small international products
Code 128	1981	Full ASCII (128 chars)	High	Shipping labels, GS1-128
Code 39	1974	43 alphanumeric	Medium	Government, defense (MIL-STD-1189)
Code 93	1982	Full ASCII	High	Logistics, postal
Interleaved 2 of 5	1972	Numeric pairs	Medium	Warehouse carton marking
Codabar	1972	16 characters	Low	Blood banks, FedEx airbills
MSI Plessey	1971	10 numeric	Low	Retail shelf marking

UPC-A structure: A 12-digit UPC-A barcode contains a number system digit (0=standard, 2=weighted items, 5=coupons), a 5-digit manufacturer code assigned by GS1 US, a 5-digit product code assigned by the manufacturer, and a Modulo 10 check digit. The barcode encodes these digits using three bar widths across 95 modules, flanked by start (101), center (01010), and stop (101) guard patterns.

EAN-13 structure: EAN-13 extends UPC-A with a leading country code digit encoded implicitly through the parity pattern of the left-side digits. GS1 country prefixes range from 000-019 (US/Canada) to 690-699 (China), 450-459 (Japan), and 880 (South Korea). The check digit uses the same Modulo 10 algorithm: alternate digits weighted 1 and 3, subtracted from the next multiple of 10.

Learn more: Symbology Explorer | Barcode Anatomy

2D Matrix Symbologies

Two-dimensional barcodes encode data in both horizontal and vertical dimensions, achieving dramatically higher data density. They use patterns of dark and light modules arranged in a matrix, with built-in error correction that allows reliable reading even when partially damaged or obscured.

Symbology	Year	Max Capacity	Error Correction	Primary Use
QR Code (Model 2)	1997	7,089 numeric	Reed-Solomon (7-30%)	Mobile apps, marketing, payments
Data Matrix (ECC 200)	1994	3,116 numeric	Reed-Solomon	Electronics, pharma serialization
Aztec Code	1995	3,832 numeric	Reed-Solomon (5-95%)	Boarding passes (BCBP), transit tickets
MaxiCode	1992	138 numeric	Reed-Solomon	UPS package sorting
PDF417	1991	2,710 numeric	Reed-Solomon (1-512 cw)	Driver licenses (AAMVA), shipping
Han Xin Code	2007	7,827 numeric	Reed-Solomon	Chinese logistics, government

Data Matrix is the dominant symbology for small-item marking in electronics manufacturing and pharmaceutical serialization. Its ECC 200 variant uses Reed-Solomon error correction with adjustable redundancy. The smallest Data Matrix symbol (10x10 modules) encodes 6 numeric or 3 alphanumeric characters, while the largest (144x144) holds 3,116 numeric characters.

Learn more: Standards Reference | Glossary

Stacked and Composite Symbologies

Stacked symbologies arrange multiple 1D barcode rows vertically to increase data density without requiring 2D imager hardware. Composite symbologies combine a 1D linear component with a 2D composite component (CC-A, CC-B, or CC-C) to link primary identification with supplementary data.

Symbology	Type	Rows	Max Capacity	Standard
PDF417	Stacked	3-90	2,710 numeric	ISO 15438
Code 49	Stacked	2-8	49 alphanumeric	USS Code 49
Codablock F	Stacked	2-44	2,725 alphanumeric	AIM USS
GS1 DataBar Composite	Composite	1D + CC	Varies	ISO 24724
GS1-128 Composite	Composite	1D + CC	Varies	ISO 24723

GS1 DataBar (formerly RSS -- Reduced Space Symbology) is designed specifically for point-of-sale scanning of small, difficult-to-mark items. Variants include Omnidirectional, Stacked, Limited, Expanded, and Truncated, each optimizing for different scanning environments and data requirements.

Learn more: GS1 Prefixes | Industry Applications

GS1 System and Company Prefixes

The GS1 system provides the global infrastructure for barcode identification through a hierarchical numbering scheme. GS1 assigns unique company prefixes that serve as the foundation for GTINs (Global Trade Item Numbers), SSCCs (Serial Shipping Container Codes), and GLNs (Global Location Numbers).

GS1 Prefix Range	Assignment	Coverage
000-019	GS1 US	United States and Canada
020-029	Restricted distribution	In-store use only
030-039	GS1 US (drugs)	US pharmaceutical NDC/HRI
300-379	GS1 France	France and overseas territories
400-440	GS1 Germany	Germany
450-459	GS1 Japan	Japan (also 490-499)
690-699	GS1 China	China
880	GS1 South Korea	South Korea
978-979	ISBN/ISMN	Books and sheet music

A GS1 Company Prefix (GCP) typically ranges from 7 to 11 digits. Longer prefixes allow fewer unique product codes per company but cost less to license. For example, a 7-digit GCP allows up to 100,000 unique GTINs, while an 11-digit GCP allows only 10.

Learn more: GS1 Prefixes | Glossary

Barcode Anatomy

Every barcode consists of fundamental structural components that enable reliable machine reading. Understanding these components is essential for print quality optimization, scanner configuration, and troubleshooting read failures.

Component	Function	Critical For
Quiet Zone	Mandatory whitespace margin (10x module for 1D)	Scanner must distinguish barcode from background
Start/Stop Characters	Format identification patterns	Scanner identifies symbology type
Data Characters	Encoded payload (bars/spaces/modules)	Actual data content
Check Digit	Error detection (Modulo 10, Modulo 43, etc.)	Data integrity verification
Finder Patterns	Orientation detection (2D only)	Camera-based scanning alignment
Timing Patterns	Module grid coordinate mapping (2D only)	Accurate module sampling
Error Correction	Reed-Solomon codewords (2D only)	Damage recovery

Learn more: Anatomy Explorer | Check Digit Algorithms

Check Digit Algorithms

Barcode check digits detect transcription errors, substitution errors, and adjacent transposition errors. Different symbologies use different algorithms:

Algorithm	Used By	Detection Capability
Modulo 10 (Luhn variant)	UPC-A, EAN-13, ITF-14	Single-digit errors, most transpositions
Modulo 43	Code 39	Single substitution errors
Modulo 103	Code 128	Single-digit and double-digit errors
Modulo 47	Code 93	Two check characters for higher reliability
Reed-Solomon	QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417	Burst errors, up to 30% damage recovery

Key Barcode Standards

Standard	Organization	Scope
ISO/IEC 15420	ISO	EAN/UPC symbology specification
ISO/IEC 15417	ISO	Code 128 and GS1-128
ISO/IEC 16022	ISO	Data Matrix symbology
ISO/IEC 18004	ISO	QR Code specification
ISO/IEC 15438	ISO	PDF417 symbology
ISO/IEC 24778	ISO	Aztec Code specification
ISO/IEC 24724	ISO	GS1 DataBar symbology
GS1 General Specifications	GS1	Global supply chain standards
AIM DPM	AIM	Direct Part Marking quality standard

Learn more: Standards Reference | Industry Applications

API Endpoints

Free, no authentication required. JSON responses with CORS enabled.

Method	Endpoint	Description
GET	/api/symbology/{slug}/	Barcode symbology detail with specs
GET	/api/family/{slug}/	Symbology family with evolution story
GET	/api/standard/{slug}/	Standard detail with linked symbologies
GET	/api/component/{slug}/	Anatomy component detail
GET	/api/term/{slug}/	Glossary term definition
GET	/api/search/?q={query}	Search across all content types
GET	/api/compare/?a={slug}&b={slug}	Compare two symbologies
GET	/api/random/	Random symbology discovery
GET	/api/industry/{slug}/	Industry barcode usage
GET	/api/openapi.json	OpenAPI 3.1.0 specification

Example

# Search for UPC barcode formats
curl -s "https://barcodefyi.com/api/search/?q=upc" | python -m json.tool

{
  "results": [
    {
      "slug": "upc-a",
      "name": "UPC-A",
      "type": "symbology",
      "description": "Universal Product Code, 12-digit numeric barcode..."
    }
  ]
}

Full API documentation at barcodefyi.com/api/. OpenAPI 3.1.0 spec: barcodefyi.com/api/openapi.json.

Command-Line Interface

barcodefyi search "code 128"          # Search all content
barcodefyi symbology upc-a            # Symbology detail
barcodefyi compare upc-a ean-13       # Side-by-side comparison
barcodefyi random                     # Discover a random symbology

MCP Server (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf)

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "barcodefyi": {
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": ["--from", "barcodefyi[mcp]", "python", "-m", "barcodefyi.mcp_server"]
        }
    }
}

Tools: barcode_search, barcode_lookup, barcode_compare

REST API Client

from barcodefyi.api import BarcodeFYI

with BarcodeFYI() as api:
    # All 10 endpoints available
    api.search("upc")                      # Full-text search
    api.symbology("upc-a")                 # Symbology detail
    api.family("1d-linear")                # Symbology family
    api.standard("iso-iec-15420")          # Standard detail
    api.component("quiet-zone")            # Anatomy component
    api.glossary_term("symbology")         # Glossary term
    api.compare("upc-a", "ean-13")         # Compare two symbologies
    api.random()                           # Random discovery
    api.industry("retail")                 # Industry application
    api.openapi()                          # OpenAPI 3.1.0 spec

Learn More About Barcodes

• Browse: Symbology Explorer · Standards Reference · Industry Applications
• Reference: Anatomy Guide · GS1 Prefixes · Glossary
• API: REST API Docs · OpenAPI Spec

Also Available

Platform	Install	Link
npm	npm install barcodefyi	npm
Go	go get github.com/fyipedia/barcodefyi-go	pkg.go.dev
Rust	cargo add barcodefyi	crates.io
Ruby	gem install barcodefyi	rubygems.org
MCP	uvx --from "barcodefyi[mcp]" python -m barcodefyi.mcp_server	Config

Tag FYI Family

Part of the FYIPedia open-source developer tools ecosystem -- automatic identification and data capture technologies.

Site	Domain	Focus
BarcodeFYI	barcodefyi.com	518 records -- barcode symbologies, standards, GS1 prefixes
QRCodeFYI	qrcodefyi.com	425 records -- QR code types, versions, encoding modes
NFCFYI	nfcfyi.com	288 records -- NFC chips, NDEF records, standards
BLEFYI	blefyi.com	261 records -- BLE chips, GATT profiles, beacons
RFIDFYI	rfidfyi.com	318 records -- RFID tags, frequency bands, EPC schemes
SmartCardFYI	smartcardfyi.com	280 records -- smart cards, EMV, Java Card, platforms

FYIPedia Developer Tools

Package	PyPI	npm	Description
barcodefyi	PyPI	npm	Barcode symbologies, standards -- barcodefyi.com
qrcodefyi	PyPI	npm	QR code types, versions, encoding -- qrcodefyi.com
nfcfyi	PyPI	npm	NFC chips, NDEF, standards -- nfcfyi.com
blefyi	PyPI	npm	BLE profiles, beacons, chips -- blefyi.com
rfidfyi	PyPI	npm	RFID tags, readers, frequencies -- rfidfyi.com
smartcardfyi	PyPI	npm	Smart cards, EMV, platforms -- smartcardfyi.com

License

MIT