In the past, enabling barcode scanning within websites required reliance on external apps or labor-intensive plugins—but DataSymbol has changed all of that, thanks to Barcode Scanner for Web as part of their Web SDK. Designed to work in modern web environments, the updated SDK brings high-performance barcode scanning right into the browser with WebAssembly and JavaScript.

What It Is

The Web SDK consists of:

• WASM (WebAssembly): A high-speed barcode decoding core derived from DataSymbol’s desktop-grade engine.

• JavaScript wrapper: Simplifies working with WASM using familiar JS APIs.
• HTML example pages with source code

Key Benefits

• Fast and Native-like performance: It works almost as fast as native apps.

• Public and client-side: Everything takes place inside the browser for high privacy, no uploads.

• No Installations: Embed the SDK and that’s all, no need for any extra software for user.

• Cross-Platform Compatible: Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.

• Multiple barcode decoding support: Decipher 1D (EAN, UPC, Code 128, DataBar, etc.) as well as all 2D variants (QR, DataMatrix, PDF417, Aztec).

Developer-Friendly Integration

Getting Started

Embed the SDK by adding:

• “datasymbol-sdk.wasm" (WebAssembly core)
• "datasymbol-sdk-hlp.min.js" (JavaScript wrapper)

Include these files in your HTML and configure just a few lines of JavaScript:

<script src="datasymbol-sdk-hlp.min.js"></script>

Define a setup:

DSScanner.Create({
  viewport: { id: 'datasymbol-barcode-viewport', width: 640 },
  camera: { resx: 640, resy: 480 },
  barcode: { barcodeTypes: ['Code128', 'QRCode', 'DataMatrix'] }
});

Then:

DSScanner.addEventListener('onScannerReady', () => DSScanner.StartScanner());
DSScanner.addEventListener('onBarcode', onBarcodeReady);

Core Methods & Events

Useful methods include:

• Create, Destroy: Lifecycle management
• StartScanner, StopScanner: Control scanning flow
• DecodeImage: Scan barcode from static image
• getFrame, getVersion, getLicenseInfo, etc.

Events:

• onScannerReady, onBarcode, onError—all easily handled with .addEventListener

Advanced Features & Customization

• Supports partial viewport scanning (scanningRect), camera control, debug outputs, and mirroring for symmetric barcodes
• PWA example included—ideal for mobile or offline-first applications
  Integrations available for WordPress, Wix, React, Angular, and even Flutter Web

Use Cases

• E-commerce updates: Inventory scanning directly in-dashboard
• Event check-ins: Fast, seamless guest onboarding
• Document scanning workflows: Extract ID or product data using a web interface
• Retail and logistics: Mobile-friendly scanners embedded in web tools

DataSymbol’s Barcode Scanner for Web SDK offers developers a powerful, easy-to-use solution for building barcode scanning into web applications. With broad barcode support, fast WebAssembly performance, and flexible integration options—including a hosted iframe version—it empowers you to add reliable scanning functionality without heavy infrastructure or external dependencies.