The Barcode is a optically-electronically maschine-legible writing, consisting of several wide and parallel bars and gaps. With optical detectors, known as barcode readers, so-called scanners) or cameras, the writing is read wird die Schrift automatically and electronically processed. In contrast to the 2d-data matrix-code the barcode is only one-dimensional.

There are many different types of barcodes - according to their purpose and je nach Zweck und applicabbility. Almost all marking and coding systems are able to produce these codes.