Add barcode scanning to iPhone and iPad apps with the native barKoder iOS SDK. Integrate it with Swift or Objective-C to read 1D and 2D barcodes, scan continuously, decode damaged codes, and handle VIN, MRZ, PDF417 and DPM workflows.
The barKoder iOS SDK is a native barcode scanning framework that runs on the device. You add it to Xcode with Swift Package Manager, place a BarkoderView in a view controller and receive results through a delegate. Its public API is exposed to Objective-C as well as Swift. The same engine reads everyday 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 trialNSCameraUsageDescription) to Info.plist.
BarkoderSDK and add a BarkoderView to your view controller.
BarkoderConfig with your license key and enable the barcode types you need.
BarkoderResultDelegate and call startScanning.
The minimum Swift code to scan a QR code, copied from the barKoder iOS installation guide. The current Swift package is version 1.7.2. You can also add Barkoder.xcframework and BarkoderSDK.xcframework to the project by hand, as the guide describes.
https://github.com/barKoderSDK/barkoder-sdk-ios-spm
<key>NSCameraUsageDescription</key>
<string>BKD Scanner requires using camera</string>
import UIKit
import BarkoderSDK
class ViewController: UIViewController {
private var barkoderView: BarkoderView!
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
setupUI()
setupConstraints()
}
private func setupUI() {
barkoderView = BarkoderView()
view.addSubview(barkoderView)
}
private func setupConstraints() {
barkoderView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
barkoderView.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.leadingAnchor).isActive = true
barkoderView.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.topAnchor).isActive = true
barkoderView.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.trailingAnchor).isActive = true
barkoderView.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.bottomAnchor).isActive = true
}
}
private func createBarkoderConfig() {
barkoderView.config = BarkoderConfig(licenseKey: "LICENSE_KEY") { licenseResult in print("Licensing SDK: \(licenseResult)") }
// Enable QR barcode type
guard let decoderConfig = barkoderView.config?.decoderConfig else { return }
decoderConfig.qr.enabled = true
}
extension ViewController: BarkoderResultDelegate {
func scanningFinished(_ decoderResults: [DecoderResult], thumbnails: [UIImage]?, image: UIImage?) {
if let textualData = decoderResults[0].textualData {
print("Scanned result: ", textualData)
}
}
}
try? barkoderView.startScanning(self)
For a complete screen, see the iOS general example and the BKDSampleSwift project in the barKoder iOS SDK repository. Every class and property is listed in the iOS API reference.
Each feature below has its own iOS 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. DeBlur reads EAN and UPC barcodes affected by motion, lens or focus blur.
How MatrixSight reads damaged codes →Keep the session open and read many barcodes of different types and sizes. Result caching and location reconstruction keep results stable while the camera moves.
barkoderView.config?.closeSessionOnResultEnabled = false
barkoderView.config?.setMulticodeCachingDuration(3000)
barkoderView.config?.setMulticodeCachingEnabled(true)
barkoderView.config?.decoderConfig?.duplicatesDelayMs = 0
barkoderView.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.
decoderConfig.idDocument.enabled = true
VIN mode combines MatrixSight and Segment Decoding to read the barcodes that carry Vehicle Identification Numbers. Apply the VIN template in one call, or enable the four symbologies by hand. OCR support reads the printed VIN too.
barkoderView.config?.decoderConfig?.code39.enabled = true
barkoderView.config?.decoderConfig?.code128.enabled = true
barkoderView.config?.decoderConfig?.datamatrix.enabled = true
barkoderView.config?.decoderConfig?.qr.enabled = 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 boarding passes.
Enable the South African parsers on iOS →DPM mode reads Data Matrix codes engraved or etched onto parts. The docs recommend slow decoding, Full HD resolution and a region of interest.
barkoderView.config?.decoderConfig?.datamatrix.enabled = true
barkoderView.config?.decoderConfig?.datamatrix.dpmMode = 1
iOS has barcode scanning built in. AVFoundation, the Vision framework and VisionKit's DataScannerViewController are free and need no extra package. Scandit, Dynamsoft and barKoder are commercial SDKs. Here is how to decide.
Whatever you compare, run each option on the same samples and the oldest iPhones your users have, and count failed and duplicate reads as well as successful ones.
The engine in the iOS SDK is also available as a native Android 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 ship barKoder on iOS and Android and needed the same results on both.
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, Apple's built-in frameworks may be enough. If your users scan damaged labels, dense PDF417, DPM marks, MRZ or VIN, or read many barcodes at once, test a commercial iOS barcode scanner SDK such as barKoder on your own samples with a free trial license.
Yes. In Xcode, choose File > Add Packages, paste https://github.com/barKoderSDK/barkoder-sdk-ios-spm and keep the default "Up to Next Major Version" rule. You can also add Barkoder.xcframework and BarkoderSDK.xcframework by hand. See installing barKoder via Swift Package Manager.
Yes. The docs and sample app use Swift, and the SDK's public API is also exposed to Objective-C.
DataScannerViewController is free and built into iOS. It needs iOS 16 or later and a device with an A12 Bionic chip or later. barKoder runs on iOS 15 and later and uses its own engine, with MatrixSight, Segment Decoding, DeBlur and PDF417-LineSight for damaged codes, plus MRZ, VIN, DPM and Batch MultiScan modes and formats such as DotCode and MaxiCode. barKoder needs a commercial license; see pricing.
iOS 15.0 and later, as declared in the Swift package. If you build with Xcode 27, use barKoder SDK version 1.7.2 or later.
Yes. Enable idDocument to read the MRZ on passports and ID cards, as shown in how to enable MRZ mode on iOS. Data Matrix is a standard symbology, and DPM mode reads Data Matrix codes engraved on parts.
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 to the App Store.
Test barKoder on your own barcodes and iPhones with a free trial, or talk to an SDK expert about your project.
