A QR code has the shape of a square with a white frame, at the corners of which there is a black and white pixel pattern — data presented in a binary system, where zero is a white module, and one is black.
A special application in a smartphone, a scanner, or an online service for a PC is three tools for reading a QR code. They recognize a QR code by three square marks located at its corners. The squares contain instructions on which direction to read the code (left-to-right and top-to-bottom). The QR code scanner receives reading instructions and then parses the QR code and extracts the information.
Here are a few examples of its application:
- opening the conditions of promotions as part of a marketing campaign;
- a graphical version of the domain avoids errors when manually entering a web address;
- a concise link for downloading files instead of long hyperlinks listing the full path to the document;
- protection of electronic tickets from forgery;
- transfers personal data – full name, phone number, email, etc. (on business cards, about the presence of a vaccination certificate);
- in trade, it is used to check the name of the product and the presence of a certificate.
In recent years, linear barcodes have often been replaced by QRs. There are several reasons for this popularity. You can change the size of the QR code to fit on surfaces of different sizes. Zooming out does not affect the readability of the user’s device. Small codes are conveniently placed on small labels.
Another important reason is that QR codes are read faster. Probably, everyone is familiar with the situation when, in order to check the price, they had to turn the goods over several times. The QR code is readable from any angle. This is useful if you need to check multiple products. In addition, they are able to be read when damaged. If at least one digit is erased on a linear barcode, it is no longer possible to obtain information. QR code technologies allow you to recognize the cipher at 30% of the failure.
Types of QR codes
The appearance of a QR code depends on how the information is encrypted. The main ones include digital, alphanumeric, binary coding, and kanji. The encoding method is indicated by the version of the QR code.
- Digital encoding is a data recording method that encrypts decimal numbers from 0 to 9. It allows you to capture up to 7089 characters.
- Alphanumeric coding: capital letters of the Latin alphabet and special characters are added to the numbers 0-9. The amount of stored data can reach a little over four thousand characters.
- Binary encoding: This includes characters from the ISO-8859-1 encoding used in XHTML. Up to 2953 characters can be stored in encrypted form this way.
- Kanji is the first way to convert data to binary characters, designed for Japanese characters.
How to create a QR code
To create a QR code, you need any user device with Internet access: a computer, smartphone, tablet, etc. Before you start encrypting data, you need to find a convenient generator – an online service or a mobile application. Consider creating a QR using the example of encrypting the domain name of a web resource.
Step 1. Open the data encoding service.
One of the popular QR creation services is QR Code Monkey. It will help you create a code that matches the style of your brand: choose the corporate color of the company, add a logo and choose the right shape.
Step 2. Enter the web address of your resource.
Specify the URL of the page that best suits the purpose of generating the code. If you want to create a business card, then the site’s main page or a separate page with contacts will do. If the goal is motivation to register on a web resource, then the domain of the authorization page.
Step 3 Define the color scheme and fill type.
The HTML color table, which you can find on your own in a search engine, will help you determine the color. To create an association of the code with the site, select shades from the same range.
Step 4. Add a corporate logo.
The logo on the QR code increases brand awareness. Select and upload a file in the desired format and no larger than 2 MB. To ensure that the hosted code harmoniously fits into the design of your site, remove the standard white background before downloading.
Step 5. Choose a shape.
This service allows you to choose not only the usual square for the logo and code but also a more unconventional shape. If your project is related to design or experimentation, this solution will emphasize its originality. Pay attention to the permissions of the QR code.
Step 6. Select the file format and click the create button.
Once created, the code will be downloaded to your device and will be ready to be placed on any platform.
Conclusion
When using a QR code, fewer errors occur than when using a linear barcode. Its technologies make it possible to read the cipher, even if it is turned upside down and part of it is erased. During the pandemic, programs for scanning code managed to appear in most people. Thanks to its popularity and ease of use, QR has become a good means of drawing attention to Internet projects, and users no longer need to remember complicated web addresses. Popular social networks have already introduced the ability to find personal pages not by long digital id, but by using QR.