Pylväsviivakoodit

Pylväsviivakoodit, commonly known as barcodes, are a machine-readable optical labeling system that encodes data into a visual pattern of parallel lines and spaces of varying widths. These patterns can be scanned by specialized optical scanners, typically laser scanners, and the information they represent is then processed by a computer.

The most ubiquitous type of barcode is the Universal Product Code (UPC), widely used in North America for retail products. Another popular type is the EAN (European Article Number), prevalent internationally. These linear barcodes encode alphanumeric characters, with the width of the bars and spaces determining the specific character represented. The overall width and the arrangement of the bars and spaces are designed to be unique for each product or item.

The primary function of pylväsviivakoodit is to facilitate rapid and accurate data entry. This is crucial in retail for point-of-sale systems, allowing for quick checkout and inventory management. Beyond retail, barcodes are employed in logistics for tracking shipments, in libraries for managing books, and in manufacturing for identifying components and finished goods. They significantly reduce errors associated with manual data input and increase operational efficiency.

While linear barcodes are widespread, two-dimensional (2D) barcodes, such as QR codes and Data Matrix codes, have gained popularity. These 2D codes can store much more information than linear barcodes, including URLs, text, and contact details, and are often scanned using smartphone cameras.