Add barcode scanning to Android apps with the native barKoder SDK for Kotlin and Java. It reads 1D and 2D barcodes, supports continuous scanning and Batch MultiScan, decodes damaged and difficult barcodes, and handles VIN, MRZ, PDF417 and DPM workflows.
The barKoder Android SDK is a native barcode scanning library that runs on the device. You add it to your Android Studio project as a Gradle module, place a BarkoderView in your layout and call it from Kotlin or Java. The same engine reads common retail barcodes and the hard cases: damaged labels, DPM marks, MRZ on passports and many barcodes at once.
Test it on the barcodes your users actually scan. A trial license covers 25 devices for 30 days.
Start a free trialbarkoder module (Groovy DSL) or copy barkoder.aar into app/libs (Kotlin DSL), then add the dependency.
BarkoderView to the layout of the activity or fragment that scans.
BarkoderConfig with your license key, or apply a ready-made template.
BarkoderResultCallback to receive results.
startScanning.
The minimum code to scan in Kotlin, copied from the barKoder Android installation guide and the GitHub README. The repository also contains a complete Kotlin sample app, BKDSampleKotlin.
implementation project(path: ':barkoder')
implementation(files("libs/barkoder.aar"))
<com.barkoder.BarkoderView
android:id="@+id/bkdView"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent" />
bkdView.config = BarkoderConfig(this, "LICENSE_KEY") {
Log.i("LicenseInfo", it.message)
}
BarkoderHelper.applyConfigSettingsFromTemplate(
this,
bkdView.config,
BarkoderConfigTemplate.INDUSTRIAL_1D,
null
)
class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity(), BarkoderResultCallback {
....
override fun scanningFinished(results: Array<Barkoder.Result>, thumbnails: Array<Bitmap>, imageResult: Bitmap?) {
Log.i("Scanned result", results[0].textualData)
}
}
bkdView.startScanning(this)
For a full screen with start and stop buttons, see the Android general example. Every class and method is listed in the Android API reference.
Each feature below has its own Android example in the docs. Where the docs give a short setting, it is shown here.
MatrixSight reads QR and Data Matrix codes that are missing their finder, timing or alignment patterns. Segment Decoding reads 1D barcodes that are crumpled, wrinkled or bent so far that a straight line no longer crosses every bar. DeBlur reads EAN and UPC barcodes affected by motion, lens or focus blur.
How Segment Decoding reads deformed barcodes →Keep the session open and read many barcodes of any type and density. Result caching and location reconstruction keep results stable while the phone moves.
bkdView.config.isCloseSessionOnResultEnabled = false
BarkoderConfig.SetMulticodeCachingEnabled(true)
BarkoderConfig.SetMulticodeCachingDuration(3000)
bkdView.config.decoderConfig.duplicatesDelayMs = 0
bkdView.config.decoderConfig.maximumResultsCount = 200
Read the Machine Readable Zone on the device in real time. Results can include the main, document, signature and picture images. The MRZ example has code in both Kotlin and Java; this is the Java line:
barkoderConfig.getDecoderConfig().IDDocument.enabled = true;
VIN mode combines MatrixSight and Segment Decoding to read the barcodes that carry Vehicle Identification Numbers. Apply the VIN template or set it up by hand. OCR VIN support reads the printed number too.
bkdView.config.decoderConfig.enableVINRestrictions = true
LineSight reads PDF417 barcodes that are missing their start and stop patterns, row indicators or whole data columns. The SA DL parser turns South African driving licenses, ID cards and vehicle license discs into fields. A BCBP parser reads IATA boarding passes.
Enable the South African parsers on Android →DPM mode reads Data Matrix codes engraved or etched onto parts. The docs recommend slow decoding, Full HD resolution and a region of interest.
bkdView.config.decoderConfig.Datamatrix.enabled = true
bkdView.config.decoderConfig.Datamatrix.dpmMode = true
Many Android teams start with Google ML Kit barcode scanning or ZXing. Both are free and work well for many apps. Scandit, Dynamsoft and barKoder are commercial SDKs. Here is how to decide.
Nasdron moved its Android Track & Trace app from ML Kit to barKoder after ML Kit became unreliable in low light. Whatever you compare, run each SDK on the same samples and devices, and count failed and duplicate reads as well as successful ones.
app/libs
The engine in the Android SDK is also available as a native iOS SDK, a Web SDK and plugins for cross-platform frameworks, so you can reuse the same setup across your apps.
Direct SDKs for mobile, browser, desktop and server environments.
Official integrations for teams building one application across platforms.
Two teams that run barKoder in Android apps in the field, one after replacing ML Kit.
Verified credentials
Certified information security management built around internationally recognized controls.
Official Solution Provider supporting standards-based barcode and data-capture workflows.
Solution Provider listing covering barcode, mobile application and 2D barcode capabilities.
Discover the barKoder Web SDK listing and connect through Microsoft Marketplace.
Registered Independent Software Vendor in Zebra's PartnerConnect ecosystem.
Install the free barKoder demo app, or open the web demo, and scan your own barcodes before you integrate the SDK.
iPhone and iPad
Scan with your camera, or point it at the QR code to open the App Store.
Android phones and tablets
Scan with your camera, or point it at the QR code to open Google Play.
Any modern browser
Runs the Web SDK in your browser, on desktop or mobile, with nothing to install.
Test with known samples. Print or display the testing sheet and scan each 1D and 2D barcode with the demo app. The data sheet summarizes the SDK for your team.
It depends on what you scan. For clean QR codes and retail barcodes, Google ML Kit may be enough. If your users scan damaged labels, dense PDF417, DPM marks, MRZ or VIN, scan in low light, or read many barcodes at once, test a commercial Android barcode scanner SDK such as barKoder on your own samples with a free trial license.
The SDK ships as an AAR in the barKoder Android GitHub repository. With Groovy DSL, import the barkoder module and add implementation project(path: ':barkoder'). With Kotlin DSL, put barkoder.aar in app/libs and add implementation(files("libs/barkoder.aar")). Both are covered in the Android installation guide.
Yes. The SDK supports both. The installation guide and the sample app use Kotlin, and examples such as MRZ scanning also show Java code.
ML Kit is free and runs on the device. It reads 13 formats and up to 10 barcodes per call. barKoder uses its own engine, with MatrixSight, Segment Decoding, DeBlur and PDF417-LineSight for damaged codes, 30+ symbologies, MRZ, VIN, DPM and Batch MultiScan, plus developer support. barKoder needs a commercial license; see pricing.
Yes. Replace the ZXing view or intent with a BarkoderView, enable the barcode types you need and handle results in scanningFinished. The ZXing project describes itself as in maintenance mode. For MRZ, the docs also include a guide for replacing the MRZScanner SDK with barKoder on Android.
Android 8.0 (API 26) and later, on arm64-v8a, armeabi-v7a, x86 and x86_64. That covers phones, tablets and rugged Android mobile computers: INEXTO runs barKoder on Zebra TC series devices.
Scanning runs locally on the device. The SDK goes online only for the license check, and each device must reach the licensing server at least once every 30 days.
Without a key the SDK still scans, but results are marked as unlicensed. A trial license covers 25 devices for 30 days. Use trial licenses in development and staging only, and never publish one in a store app.
Test barKoder on your own barcodes and Android devices with a free trial, or talk to an SDK expert about your project.
