# barcodegen.net

> Free online barcode generator and barcode image API covering 35 symbologies. No signup, no API key, no watermark, no cost — including for commercial use. Also provides a label designer, a barcode scanner, an Avery-compatible label printer, and an 85-entry technical reference for barcode specifications and terminology.

barcodegen.net is a stateless web application: there are no user accounts, no sign-in, no stored data and no payment. Barcodes are rendered two ways — in the browser for the interactive generators, and server-side for the public image API (bwip-js and JsBarcode produce SVG; @resvg/resvg-wasm and jpeg-js rasterise it to PNG and JPG). Enter one value per line to generate barcodes in bulk and download them as a ZIP archive.

## Core capabilities

- 35 barcode symbologies, each with a dedicated generator page
- Free image API — one GET request, no key, no signup, no quota: `/api/barcode/{code}/{data}?format=svg|png|jpg`
- Bulk generation from multiple lines of input, exportable as a ZIP archive
- CSV import for batch input
- Adjustable size, height, margin, colours, font and quiet zone
- Optional human-readable text line, with position control
- Label designer with drag-and-drop elements, images and multi-select editing
- Avery-compatible label sheet printing at correct physical dimensions
- Barcode scanner (decodes from an uploaded image or a webcam)
- 55 symbology specifications and 30 glossary terms
- 20 in-depth articles on barcode compliance, printing and troubleshooting
- Interface available in 11 languages: en, ja, de, fr, es, it, nl, sv, ko, ru, zh

## Barcode image API

```
GET https://www.barcodegen.net/api/barcode/{code}/{data}?format=svg|png|jpg
```

- `code` — symbology, e.g. `Code128`, `Ean13`, `Qrcode` (see the table below)
- `data` — the value to encode, URL-encoded
- `format` — `svg` (default), `png`, or `jpg`

No authentication of any kind. Responses are cached with `Cache-Control: public, max-age=31536000, immutable`. Invalid values return HTTP 400 with a JSON error body. Images are never watermarked and may be used commercially.

Working example:

```
curl -o barcode.svg "https://www.barcodegen.net/api/barcode/Code128/ABC-abc-1234?format=svg"
```

## MCP server (Model Context Protocol)

```
POST https://www.barcodegen.net/mcp
```

A remote MCP server implementing JSON-RPC 2.0 over the Streamable HTTP transport. No authentication, no API key, no session. Advertised protocol version is `2025-06-18`; older clients are accepted.

Tools:

- `generate_barcode` — encode a value into any of the 35 symbologies and return the rendered SVG (or a `data:` URI). Arguments: `type` (required), `value` (required), `caption`, `format` (`svg` | `data-uri`), `errorCorrection` (`L` | `M` | `Q` | `H`), `height`, `showText`. Returns the image plus a link to the online generator pre-filled with the same value.
- `list_barcode_types` — enumerate every supported symbology with a one-line summary and sample data, optionally filtered by `family` or `category` (`linear` | `stacked` | `2d`).
- `get_barcode_type` — full technical reference for one symbology: charset, data length, check-digit rules, X-dimension, quiet zone, print ratio, magnification, governing standard, applications, FAQ and related formats.

Install (Claude Code):

```
claude mcp add --transport http barcodegen https://www.barcodegen.net/mcp
```

Install (Cursor / Claude Desktop / VS Code `mcpServers` block):

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "barcodegen": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://www.barcodegen.net/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

Listed in the official MCP Registry as `net.barcodegen/barcode-generator`.

## Supported symbologies (35)

Each row gives the generator page, the API `code` value, and a value known to encode successfully.

### Code 128
- Code 128 — `/Code128` — sample: `ABC-abc-1234`
- Code 128A — `/Code128A` — sample: `ABC123`
- Code 128B — `/Code128B` — sample: `Hello World!`
- Code 128C — `/Code128C` — sample: `123456`
- GS1-128 — `/gs1-128` — sample: `(01)09521234543213(3103)000123`
- HIBC Code 128 — `/Hibccode128` — sample: `A999BJC5D6E71`

### EAN / UPC
- EAN-13 — `/Ean13` — sample: `5901234123457`
- EAN-2 — `/Ean2` — sample: `53`
- EAN-5 — `/Ean5` — sample: `54495`
- EAN-8 — `/Ean8` — sample: `96385074`
- GS1-14 (GTIN-14) — `/Ean14` — sample: `(01) 0 952 8765 43210 8`
- UPC-A — `/Upc` — sample: `123456789012`
- UPC-E — `/UpcE` — sample: `01234565`

### 2D Barcodes
- Aztec Code — `/Azteccode` — sample: `This is Aztec Code`
- Data Matrix — `/Datamatrix` — sample: `This is Data Matrix!`
- PDF417 — `/Pdf417` — sample: `This is PDF417`
- QR Code — `/Qrcode` — sample: `https://www.barcodegen.net`

### Code 39
- Code 39 — `/Code39` — sample: `CODE 39`
- Code 39 Extended — `/Code39ext` — sample: `Code39 Ext!`
- HIBC Code 39 — `/Hibccode39` — sample: `A999BJC5D6E71`

### ITF
- ITF (Interleaved 2 of 5) — `/Itf` — sample: `1234567890`
- ITF-14 — `/Itf14` — sample: `15400141288763`

### MSI Plessey
- MSI Plessey (Mod 10) — `/Msi10` — sample: `1234567`
- MSI Plessey (Mod 1010) — `/Msi1010` — sample: `1234567`
- MSI Plessey (Mod 11) — `/Msi11` — sample: `1234567`
- MSI Plessey (Mod 1110) — `/Msi1110` — sample: `1234567`

### Pharmacode
- Pharmacode — `/Pharmacode` — sample: `1234`

### Codabar
- Codabar — `/Codabar` — sample: `A1234B`

### GS1 DataBar
- GS1 DataBar Expanded — `/Databarexpanded` — sample: `(01)09521234543213(3103)000123`
- GS1 DataBar Limited — `/Databarlimited` — sample: `(01)09521234543213`
- GS1 DataBar Omnidirectional — `/Databaromni` — sample: `(01)09521234543213`
- GS1 DataBar Stacked — `/Databarstacked` — sample: `(01)09521234543213`

### Publishing
- ISBN — `/Isbn` — sample: `978-1-56581-231-4 90000`
- ISMN — `/Ismn` — sample: `979-0-2605-3211-3`
- ISSN — `/Issn` — sample: `0311-175X 00 17`

## Key pages

- [Barcode generator (homepage)](https://www.barcodegen.net/)
- [Bulk barcode generator (Excel / CSV import, ZIP export)](https://www.barcodegen.net/bulk-barcode-generator)
- [Generatore di codici a barre multipli — italiano](https://www.barcodegen.net/it/bulk-barcode-generator)
- [Генератор штрих-кодов из Excel — русский](https://www.barcodegen.net/ru/bulk-barcode-generator)
- [Barcode maker (full customisation)](https://www.barcodegen.net/barcode-maker)
- [Barcode scanner / decoder](https://www.barcodegen.net/barcode-scanner)
- [Label sheet printing (Avery templates)](https://www.barcodegen.net/barcode-label-print)
- [Label template designer](https://www.barcodegen.net/label-template-maker)
- [Barcode glossary hub (55 specs + 30 terms)](https://www.barcodegen.net/barcode-glossary)
- [Blog (20 articles)](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog)
- [About](https://www.barcodegen.net/about)
- [Contact](https://www.barcodegen.net/contact)
- [Terms of Service](https://www.barcodegen.net/terms-of-service)
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.barcodegen.net/privacy-policy)

## Platform-specific guides

- [Amazon](https://www.barcodegen.net/usecase/amazon)
- [Shopify](https://www.barcodegen.net/usecase/shopify)
- [Restaurant](https://www.barcodegen.net/usecase/restaurant)
- [Inventory](https://www.barcodegen.net/usecase/inventory)
- [Ecommerce](https://www.barcodegen.net/usecase/ecommerce)
- [Small Business](https://www.barcodegen.net/usecase/small-business)

## Articles

- [Lecteur de code-barres en ligne : scanner un code-barres avec une caméra ou une image](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/lecteur-code-barre-en-ligne) (fr)
- [HIBC Barcode Decoder Guide: How to Read HIBC Code 128 Data](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/hibc-barcode-decoder-guide) (en)
- [Amazon Barcode Generator Guide: UPC, EAN, FNSKU, and What Sellers Need to Know](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/amazon-barcode-generator-guide) (en)
- [Bulk Code 128 Barcode Generator: Create Barcode Labels from Excel or CSV](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/bulk-code-128-barcode-generator) (en)
- [ISBN to Barcode: How to Convert an ISBN into a Bookland EAN-13 Barcode](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/isbn-to-barcode) (en)
- [Which Barcode Do You Actually Need? Code 128 vs EAN-13 vs UPC-A, Explained for Sellers and Warehouses](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/barcode-type-guide) (en)
- [The Complete Guide to Barcode Generation: How It Works, Common Formats, and Batch Generation in Practice](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/barcode-generation-guide) (en)
- [Barcode X-Dimension & Magnification: Why You Cannot Just Shrink a Barcode](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/barcode-x-dimension-magnification) (en)
- [Barcode Quiet Zone: How Wide It Really Needs to Be (and Why Trimming Kills Scans)](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/barcode-quiet-zone) (en)
- [Logistics Label Placement Rules: Where the Barcode Goes (and the Mistakes That Get You Fined)](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/logistics-label-placement-guide) (en)
- [2026 Retail Barcode Compliance Guide: GS1-128, SSCC and What Walmart, Target & Amazon Actually Fine](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/retail-barcode-compliance-guide) (en)
- [SSCC-18 Explained: The 18 Digits, the Check Digit, and Why You Can Never Reuse One](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/sscc-18-serial-shipping-container-code) (en)
- [Barcode Prints But Won’t Scan: The 12 Causes, In the Order You Should Check Them](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/barcode-wont-scan-12-causes) (en)
- [Barcode Color: Why Red Bars Won’t Scan (and the Other Color Traps)](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/barcode-color-red-wont-scan) (en)
- [Excel/CSV Leading Zeros: Why Your Barcodes Come Out One Digit Short](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/excel-csv-leading-zeros-barcode) (en)
- [Barcode Scans but the System Rejects It: Encoding vs. Database](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/barcode-scans-but-rejected-data) (en)
- [Barcode Scans on Screen but Not When Printed: Isolate the Printer](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/barcode-scans-on-screen-not-print) (en)
- [Barcode Prints Blurry at High Speed: Why Print Speed Blurs Bars](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/barcode-print-speed-blur) (en)
- [Barcode Scanner Configuration: Symbologies, Prefixes, and Firmware](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/barcode-scanner-symbology-config) (en)
- [Barcode Truncated, Stretched, or Scaled: How Resizing Breaks Scans](https://www.barcodegen.net/blog/barcode-truncated-stretched-scaled) (en)

## Full documentation

- [https://www.barcodegen.net/llms-full.txt](https://www.barcodegen.net/llms-full.txt)