A Barcode is an optical, machine-readable, representation of data. This data usually describes the information about the object that carries the Barcode. A Barcode essentially is a way to encode information in a visual pattern that a machine can read. A Barcode can hold any type of text information you encode. Barcodes are mostly used in supermarkets when you purchase an item, this Barcode is scanned by the cashier, and the item’s description and price automatically come up. Barcodes are issued by Global Standards One (GS1) and are of two types: Universal Product Code (UPC) and European Article Number (EAN). “GTIN” is a newer name given to the UPC/EAN codes by the GS1 organization, it means “Global Trade Identification Number”.

When you purchase an item from any store, you will notice a label with thin, black lines across it, along with a variation of different numbers. This label is then scanned by the cashier, and the item’s description and price automatically come up. The word for this is called a barcode, and it is used to read data and information based upon the widths of those small black lines. A barcode essentially is a way to encode information in a visual pattern that a machine can read. A barcode can hold any type of text information you encode.