A Guide to the Best Barcode Reader SDKs

With so many barcoding solutions out there, the selection process can become challenging. From the top barcode reader feature to crucial considerations, we will discuss everything vital for choosing the best barcode reader SDK for your application. 

We will compare three leading vendors in this article: 

• Dynamsoft — a comprehensive barcode reader SDK, which is highly customizable to fit various user scenarios

• Scandit — best for interactive scenarios on mobile devices

• Accusoft — supports multiple barcode formats

We will use a comparison matrix to let you better analyze which SDK is the most suitable for you. 

Supported Platform

This barcode reader feature is one of the most important ones to consider. You must choose a solution that supports multiple platforms. Hence, you should first find out what your customers are looking for and how do they interact with your product or service. Also, there may be a time when you need to expand to meet further requirements. Your customers may also use various devices and platforms, which is why multi-platform support becomes essential in such situations. Your barcode reader SDK must perform well on all platforms. 

Barcode Symbology

Another important barcode reader feature is the support for various barcode symbologies. Before choosing the ideal barcodes for your business, you must understand your business requirements. Although different industries use different barcode types, you never know what new barcode types your business will need in the future. In such a situation, the best option is to go for a barcode solution that supports all standard barcode symbologies such as QR Codes, 1D barcodes, and Aztec codes.

Important Scanning Features 

For any barcode reader SDK, the scanning performance is of utmost importance. Hence, in this section, we will compare the three SDKs based on their scanning capabilities.  

Image Source Support 

While scanning barcodes daily, you never know what will be the next file format you’ll come across. It could be a bitmap, base64 encoded string, or other file formats such as PDF, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, GIF, etc. The barcode reader SDK you choose should support both static and dynamic sources (videos).

Flexible Scan Settings 

Standard scanning settings such as defining a scan zone, zonal reading, text filter, texture detection, etc., provide better results. It fine-tunes the settings for every unique scenario. Below is a comparison of these settings. 

Returned Results 

Not every barcode will be free of wrinkles, marks, or scuffs. Hence, the barcode reader SDK that you choose must be able to work well with tough barcodes. Be it incomplete, crumpled, or angled, the barcode scanner should decode the barcode and provide the correct result to you. 

Intermediate Output 

If you are an advanced user, you might be interested in the intermediate image results during the decoding process, such as the grayscale images or binarized images. You can extract these images and directly use them in other methods easily. 

Below are the types of images produced during the barcode decoding process.

1. Grayscale image

2. Color clustered image

3. Original image

4. Text Zone 

5. Pre-detected region

6. Contour 

7. Preprocessed image

8. Typed barcode zone 

9. Binarized image

10. Form

11. Line segment

12. Segmentation block

Text-Aided Proofing 

This feature is handy in retail when 1D barcodes such as UPC include the encrypted text below the barcode symbol. The decoded data is then compared with the text string for an added layer of validation, which further reduces inefficiency. 

Direct Part Marking (DPM)

DPM, i.e., Direct Part Marking, is a process that permanently marks a code on equipment. The DPM codes contain critical information such as date of manufacture, identify parts, safety requirements, etc. Issues such as low contrast, low lighting, imperfections on the surface, etc., are common with DPM codes. Hence, you must choose a barcode reader SDK that provides robust barcode scanning in such situations. 

Panorama 

Revolutionary technology in the world of inventory and warehouse management, this barcode reader feature helps officials take a panoramic view of all the barcodes placed on multiple items, providing maximum barcode recognition speed and accuracy. 

Conclusion

Now that you have learned about the top three barcode reader SDKs’ features, your selection process will become a lot easier.