What is bar code symbology?
Symbology can be described as a computer language – the computer translates the bars and spaces into Binary code. The binary code is then translated into predetermined letters or numbers based on the value of the binary code. There are a variety of different bar code symbologies. Changing the width and spacing of the bars and spaces within each individual bar code creates these different symbologies. Some of the most common bar code symbologies are Code 3 of 9 (or Code 39), UPC, Code 128, Codabar and Interleaved 2 of 5.
Symbology is the term used to describe the series of characters used to form a complete scannable entity. These characters include start/stop characters, quiet zones, data characters, and check characters. Code 39, sometimes referred to as 3 of 9, is the most common symbology used. This encodes 44 different alphabetic, numeric and graphic characters. The next most common symbology is Code 128, which is a high density, alphanumeric bar code symbology commonly used in retail and shipping.
