Know the Difference between Barcode and QR Code

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If we shop at a supermarket or minimarket, surely we will see the cashier highlighting each package of goods you buy. The highlighted or scanned part is the black bar code on the package. This code is called a barcode.

A barcode or bar code is a set of black and white lines. These lines are a set of optical data that can only be read by a scanner. For example, those at supermarket or minimarket cashiers. To find out the name of the item and the price, the cashier does not need to type the name of the item. Simply by pointing the scanner at the barcode, the computer will automatically display the item name and price.

Barcodes were first invented in the 1940s by two students, namely Woodland and his friend, Bernard Silver. And commercialized in 1966.

How can the code be read? Look at the barcode on one of the packages. You will see lines that differ in thickness and spacing between the lines. Well, the difference in thickness and spacing between these lines will be read by the scanner.

The difference in the thickness of this line by the scanner engine will be converted into numbers. One barcode consists of several groups and combinations of numbers. Each product has a different number combination, so the line code is different from one product to another.

The barcode standard used in most parts of the world is EAN-13 (European Article Number-13). This type of barcode can contain four pieces of information, namely the country code where the factory is registered, the factory code, the product specific code, and the code indicating that the barcode has been scanned correctly. For certain products, barcodes store data in the form of production codes, identity numbers and product expiration dates.

There is also a barcode type. This barcode consists of a combination of square, dot, hexagon and other geometric shapes. This type of barcode is called a QR Code (Quick Response). This type of QR barcode is more sophisticated than line barcodes, because it can store more data. QR Code can store 2089 digits or 4289 characters. With this QR Code can display more information to users compared to Barcodes.