Barcodes.GG Blog
Barcode & product-data guides
Practical, accurate references on GTIN/UPC/EAN standards, check digits, validation, and putting product data to work — from the team behind the Barcodes.GG API.
Barcodes, GTINs & check digits
What Is a GTIN? UPC, EAN & GS1 Barcode Standards
A GTIN is the GS1 Global Trade Item Number that sits above UPC, EAN and the 14-digit case code as one shared product identifier.
How to Validate a Barcode: UPC, EAN & GTIN
A practical guide to checking that a UPC, EAN, or GTIN is well formed before you trust it.
GTIN vs UPC: What is the Difference
UPC is not an alternative to GTIN. A UPC-A barcode carries a 12-digit GTIN-12, so UPC is one member of the wider GTIN family.
EAN-13 Format Explained: Structure & Prefixes
An EAN-13 barcode is a 13-digit GTIN-13 built from a GS1 prefix, a company prefix, an item reference and a check digit.
GTIN-14 Explained: Cases, Cartons & Pallets
GTIN-14 identifies a packaging level such as a case or carton by adding an indicator digit in front of the base product GTIN.
How to Calculate a UPC/EAN Check Digit by Hand
Compute the modulo-10 check digit for any UPC-A or EAN-13 with a pen, paper, and one small rule.
Why Your Barcode Check Digit Does Not Match: 7 Causes
The seven reasons a UPC or EAN check digit fails validation, and how to fix each one.
UPC-A vs UPC-E: Format, Length & Check Digit
How UPC-E compresses a 12-digit UPC-A into 8 digits, and why they share a check digit.
Product data & the Barcodes.GG API
Barcode API Guide: Integrate Product Lookup Into Your App
A developer-focused walkthrough of how a barcode API turns a scanned GTIN into structured product data inside your application.
Best Barcode & UPC Database APIs Compared (2026)
A fair, category-by-category look at barcode and UPC database APIs so you can pick the right one for your use case.
How to Build a Barcode Scanner Product-Lookup Feature
A practical blueprint for wiring a camera scanner to a product-data API so users can scan an item and see what it is.
What Data Does a Barcode Lookup API Return?
A field-by-field explanation of what you get back from a product-data barcode API and how to handle uneven results.
Getting Started With the Barcodes.GG API
The Barcodes.GG API turns a barcode into a structured product record with one authenticated GET request. This guide walks a first-timer from token to first response.
Adding Barcode Product Data to a Mobile App
A phone camera already reads barcodes. Point that scan at a product-data API and an app can show a full product card the instant a box is scanned.
Sneaker identification & sourcing
Sneaker Barcode Lookup: Identify Any Shoe from the Box
Learn how to read the barcode on a sneaker box and look it up on barcodes.gg to confirm which shoe you are actually holding.
Nike Barcode Lookup: Decode Nike UPC & Style Numbers
Understand how Nike box barcodes and style numbers relate, and how to look up a Nike barcode on barcodes.gg to confirm the exact model and colorway.
Can a Barcode Tell If Sneakers Are Real?
An honest look at what a barcode lookup can and cannot tell you about sneaker authenticity, and how to use it as one signal among several.
SKU Lookup vs Barcode Lookup for Resellers
Understand the difference between looking up a product by SKU or style number versus by barcode, and when each one is the right move for sourcing.
Streamlining Warehouse Sneaker Intake With Barcode Lookups
Identifying incoming sneakers by hand is slow and error-prone. A box barcode plus a lookup call turns intake into a scan that auto-fills name, style code, colorway and size.