Barcode Types & SymbologiesOver the past few decades several hundred different barcode types have been invented, many of which are long forgotten. Today, around 20 to 30 different symbologies are in use worldwide; the screenshot shows the most important types (click for full size):![]() Download the sample sheet: AI (Adobe Illustrator 2020 or higher) • PDF. See the following sections for an overview of the most common barcode symbologies. Barcode types can be categorized by form, e.g. linear or 2D, or by application, e.g. warehousing, retail etc. Barcodes for RetailCode EAN and Code UPC are the predominant barcodes used in retail. Both barcode types come in several variations:Code EANCode EAN 8Code EAN 13 Code EAN 13 with add-on Code ISBN 10, ISBN 13 Code ISSN Code ISMN Code UPCCode UPC-ECode UPC-A Code UPC-A with add-on Barcodes for WarehousingSeveral code types are used for warehousing, depending on the respective application and the amount and type of data that is to be encoded.Code 2/5 (read: two of five)Code 2/5 Standard (aka. Industrial)Code 2/5 Interleaved Code ITF 14 Barcodes for Phamaceutical ApplicationsCode PZN (Pharmazentralnummer)Code Laetus Alphanumeric BarcodesAlphanumeric barcodes encode numbers, letters and special characters like exclamation marks, currency symbols etc.Code 39Code 39 Code 39 Extended, Full ASCIICode 128Code 128 A, B, CCode 128 EAN / UCC / GS1 Other Barcode ApplicationsOther notable applictions for barcodes includes IDs (e.g. passports or driver's licenses), encoding of web adresses (URLs), postal or freight applications. Usually 2D or area barcodes are used if a huge amount of data has to be encoded.2D Barcode SymbologiesPDF417Datamatrix QR Quick Response (cellphone barcode) Aztec Creating Barcodes in Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, PhotoshopEasy to use barcode plug-ins and extensions for Adobe InDesign, Illustrator und Photoshop. Standards compliant barcodes in seconds - no dependencies, no programming or macros, no barcode fonts required. The extensions are built on the new Softmatic unified JS barcode engine that works across all operating systems and environments and supports all common barcode symbologies and types. For more videos, see the Softmatic Youtube Channel The Softmatic barcode plug-ins and extensions for InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop are available on the Adobe Exchange. For more barcode software, see our Products page. |