DotCode — Barcode Format Guide & Generator
DotCode is a one-dimensional linear symbology in the Specialist family. Dot-based code for high-speed printing; supports GS1 data. Their natural habitats are parcel sortation, high-speed printing lines, binderies and reply-mail processing — wherever one specific machine is the only reader.
- Category
- Specialist
- Symbol
- Matrix (2D) modules
- Data
- GS1 element string — application identifiers in [square brackets]
- Example
- [01]00012345678905[17]201231[10]ABC123456
Data format
Encode GS1 element strings by wrapping each application identifier in square brackets, e.g. [01]98898765432106[3202]012345. The generator parses the AIs, validates the structure and computes the check digit for you.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Solves one specific industrial problem no mainstream symbology covers.
- Stores far more data than a 1D barcode — URLs, IDs or full text payloads.
- Built-in error correction keeps a partially damaged or obscured symbol readable.
- Accepts structured GS1 application identifiers, so downstream systems parse the payload automatically.
Limitations
- Mainstream phones and retail scanners will not decode it — only the dedicated system that expects it.
- Needs a camera-based reader (imager or phone); red-laser-only checkouts cannot read it.
- Print quality and contrast matter more — poor prints fail more often than large 1D bars.
Generate one in QrDeco
- Open QrDeco and choose DotCode from the format list.
- Type or paste your data — for example [01]00012345678905[17]201231[10]ABC123456.
- Adjust size, colours, quiet zone or human-readable text in the style panel if you need them.
- Export an SVG or PDF for print, or a PNG for screens — generated locally in your browser, nothing is uploaded.
Options
- Columns (5-200): from 5 to 200 — set it to 0 to let the encoder choose automatically.
Scanning and printing tips
- Leave the quiet zones clear — blank space on both sides of the bars is part of the symbol.
- Print dark bars on a light background; red-only bars can vanish under red laser light.
- Keep the bars vertical to the scan direction and print at the symbol’s standard magnification.
- Verify one printed sample with a real scanner before committing to a full run.
Related formats
More from the Specialist family, plus the family overview: