Code-barres composite vs GS1-128
GS1 Composite Component (1D + 2D hybrid) vs standalone GS1-128. Composites pair a linear primary with a 2D supplementary component for extended data in limited space.
Specification comparison
| Specification | GS1 Composite | GS1-128 |
|---|---|---|
| Classification | Composite | 1D Linear |
| Symbology family | GS1 System | GS1 System |
| Year introduced | 2001 | 1989 |
| Developer | GS1 | GS1 |
| Data length | variable | variable |
| Variable length | Yes | Yes |
| Character set | AI-encoded data (alphanumeric) | Full ASCII 128 |
| Maximum capacity | 338 alphanumeric characters (CC-C variant) | 48 characters per symbol (GS1 limit) |
| GS1 data carrier | Yes | Yes |
| Unicode encoding | No | No |
| Binary data | No | No |
| Minimum X-dimension | 0.264 mm | 0.25 mm |
| Nominal height | — | 31.75 mm |
| Quiet zone | varies by linear component | 10X |
| Aspect ratio | variable | — |
| Example payload | (01)00012345678905|(21)SERIAL123 | (01)09501101530003(17)250101(10)ABC123 |
Highlighted rows mark specifications where the two symbologies differ.