Code 128 vs Codabar
Modern full-ASCII Code 128 vs legacy Codabar. Code 128 has largely replaced Codabar in most applications, though Codabar persists in blood banks and some library systems.
Specification comparison
| Specification | Code 128 | Codabar (NW-7) |
|---|---|---|
| Classification | 1D Linear | 1D Linear |
| Symbology family | Code Family | Independent Symbologies |
| Year introduced | 1981 | 1972 |
| Developer | Computer Identics | Monarch Marking Systems (Pitney Bowes) |
| Data length | variable (1-80 characters) | variable |
| Variable length | Yes | Yes |
| Character set | Full ASCII 128 | 0-9, - $ : / . + |
| Maximum capacity | 80 characters (practical limit) | Variable numeric with special characters |
| GS1 data carrier | No | No |
| Unicode encoding | No | No |
| Binary data | No | No |
| Minimum X-dimension | 0.25 mm | 0.19 mm |
| Nominal height | 15 mm | 15 mm |
| Quiet zone | 10X | 10X |
| Example payload | BarcodeFYI-2026 | A12345B |
Highlighted rows mark specifications where the two symbologies differ.