---
id: pyzxing
version: "1.2.2"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# pyzxing — Reliable Python bindings for the ZXing barcode decoder.

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 562.1K/mo

## What it is and what it does

pyzxing is a Python wrapper around the ZXing barcode decoder that delegates decoding to a versioned, checksum-verified Java Runner. It accepts file paths or NumPy arrays and returns a consistent list of dictionaries, each containing decoded text, format, raw bytes, byte segments, result points, orientation, and metadata. The library supports QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec, and common one-dimensional barcode formats, with control over decode hints like format constraints, character sets, and effort levels.

The package runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows with Python 3.8–3.14 and Java 17+. It automatically downloads and verifies the matching ZXing Runner on first use, or can receive it from conda-forge. Runtime dependencies are minimal—only joblib and numpy—making installation straightforward. The API is stable and designed for both single-image and batch (glob) decoding workflows.

Use it for:

- Decode QR codes from uploaded images in a web application or document processing pipeline.
- Batch scan a directory of product barcodes to extract SKUs or inventory data.
- Extract binary payloads from QR codes while preserving byte segments for lossless reconstruction.
- Integrate barcode reading into a desktop or server application with explicit format hints to improve accuracy.
- Process video frames or webcam input by converting them to NumPy arrays and decoding on demand.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Decode barcodes and QR codes from images or NumPy arrays using ZXing, supporting QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec, and one-dimensional formats with format hints and binary payload preservation.

Yes. pyzxing is actively maintained, has low install friction, carries no known vulnerabilities, and offers a stable, well-documented API for barcode decoding. The MIT license is permissive. The only real constraint is the Java 17+ requirement, which is a runtime dependency, not a blocker for most environments. Install it if you need reliable barcode or QR code decoding with control over decode hints and access to raw metadata.

## Install

pip install pyzxing
uv add pyzxing
poetry add pyzxing

## Installing pyzxing

Before you install: Low friction: pure Python wheel with only joblib and numpy as runtime dependencies. Active maintenance with a release 28 days ago. Requires Java 17+ on PATH and downloads a pinned ZXing Runner on first use with SHA-256 verification.

License in practice: MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions—suitable for most projects.

Quickstart:

pip install pyzxing

from pyzxing import BarCodeReader

reader = BarCodeReader()
results = reader.decode("/path/to/qrcode.png")
for result in results:
    print(result["format"], result["text"])

Java 17 or newer must be available as `java` on PATH; optional OpenCV for NumPy array input.

Verify before relying:

- Performance characteristics when decoding large image batches or high-resolution images.
- Memory overhead of the Java Runner process and whether it persists across multiple decode calls.
- Compatibility with containerized or restricted environments where Java PATH access may be limited.

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 562.1K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

barcode decoding python, qr code reader, zxing python bindings, decode barcodes images, barcode scanner library, qr code detection, data matrix decoder, barcode-scanning, qr-codes, image-processing

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/pyzxing) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/pyzxing/)