About Barcode Types
Barcodes encode data in visual patterns that scanners can read. Different barcode standards serve different use cases, from retail products to shipping labels.
CODE128
CODE128 is a high-density linear barcode that supports all 128 ASCII characters. It uses three subsets (A, B, C). This tool uses subset B which supports standard printable ASCII (space through DEL). CODE128 includes a modulo-103 checksum for data integrity.
EAN-13
The European Article Number (EAN-13) is the standard barcode for retail products worldwide. It encodes 13 digits: the first 12 are data and the last is a checksum calculated using a weighted modulo-10 algorithm.
UPC-A
UPC-A is the 12-digit barcode standard used primarily in North America for retail products. It is a subset of EAN-13 and uses the same checksum algorithm with different weight positioning.
How Checksums Work
Barcodes include checksum digits to detect scanning errors. CODE128 uses modulo-103, while EAN-13 and UPC-A use a weighted modulo-10 algorithm. The generator calculates these automatically.