PDF417 Barcode API: Quickstart for Developers

Need PDF417 barcodes generated inside your own product — labels, tickets, inventory tags, forms? The PDF417 Studio API turns one JSON request into a print-ready barcode, with the same controls as the web tool.

One request

bash curl -X POST https://YOUR-DOMAIN/api/generate \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "X-API-Key: pdf417_your_key" \ -d '{ "payload": "ORDER-10472", "columns": 6, "errorCorrection": 4, "moduleWidth": 3, "rowHeight": 9, "background": "transparent" }'

The response is JSON: a base64-encoded PNG plus metadata.

json { "pngBase64": "iVBORw0KGgo...", "info": { "columns": 6, "rows": 12, "errorCorrectionLevel": 4, "imageSize": { "width": 615, "height": 108 } } }

Decode pngBase64 to bytes and you have the image — store it, embed it, or drop it straight into a label template.

Parameters that matter

| Field | What it does | Typical | |---|---|---| | payload | The data to encode (required) | your string | | columns | Symbol width in data columns | 4–10 | | errorCorrection | Redundancy level 0–8; higher survives damage | 2–5 | | moduleWidth | Smallest bar width in px | 3 | | rowHeight | Row height in px | 9 | | background | #FFFFFF or transparent | transparent for labels |

Auth & rate limits

• Auth: send your key in the X-API-Key header. Keys come with paid plans; the free tier is keyless with lower limits.
• Rate limits: every response includes X-RateLimit-Limit and X-RateLimit-Remaining. Exceed your quota and you get 429 with a Retry-After header — back off and retry.
• Quotas: each plan includes a monthly generation allowance; usage is visible in your dashboard. See pricing for limits per tier.

Production tips

• Scan-test real output at the size you'll print before going live.
• Keep errorCorrection at 4–5 for anything that gets handled or scanned in the field.
• Cache generated barcodes you'll reuse instead of regenerating per request — it's faster and conserves quota.

What this API is not for

PDF417 Studio is for lawful barcode generation and validation. The API does not generate official identity-document or credential payloads.

Start building

Grab a key on a paid plan and you're one request away. Full parameter reference is in the API docs.