What are QR Codes and Barcodes, and how can I use them?

QR Codes

QR stands for "Quick Response" and is a machine-readable matrix barcode that can be read by just about any camera app, or by dedicated scanners.

QR Codes are a dense, robust and powerful way of encoding information that computers can read, which is exactly why they are so prominant these days. They can contain a phone number, an email address, a link to your favourite website or a restaurants menu card, and can even work when partially obscured or damaged.

Barcodes

Barcodes also contain machine-readable information, but are much more limited. They are a series of lines (or bars) that represent numbers. These are most commonly used on packaging for containing a product's identifier, which lets a scanner know what product is inside (think of your groceries being scanned at a checkout).