What is a Barcode?

A barcode is a series of black and white (or contrasting) spaces (usually lines) which can be scanned by a barcode scanner or cell phone app to convey a small amount of information. Barcodes are mostly used on retail products for establishing the price at the checkout and ensuring that the entire process is efficient. Barcodes used in retail are either EAN-13 Numbers or UPC-A numbers represented as an image. These numbers are linked the the products in the store’s system.