How do I add ZXing to my project?

Add com.google.zxing:core and com.google.zxing:javase as Maven or Gradle dependencies. The core module handles encoding/decoding, javase provides image output.

Can I customize QR code colors with ZXing?

ZXing generates a BitMatrix which you render yourself. You can customize colors when converting the BitMatrix to a BufferedImage. For advanced styling, use the QRCode.fun API.

Does ZXing work on Android?

Yes. Use the com.google.zxing:core dependency (not javase) on Android. For camera scanning, consider the zxing-android-embedded library.

How do I generate a QR code as a byte array in Java?

Generate the QR code as a BufferedImage using ZXing, then use ImageIO.write() to write it to a ByteArrayOutputStream. This is useful for HTTP responses and email attachments.

Java QR Code Library

Generate QR Codes with Java

Java's ZXing (Zebra Crossing) library is the industry standard for barcode and QR code generation. Use it in Spring Boot, Android, or any Java application.

Try QR Generator View API Docs

Installation

Add ZXing to your Java project using Maven or Gradle.

Maven

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.google.zxing</groupId>
    <artifactId>core</artifactId>
    <version>3.5.3</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
    <groupId>com.google.zxing</groupId>
    <artifactId>javase</artifactId>
    <version>3.5.3</version>
</dependency>

Gradle

implementation 'com.google.zxing:core:3.5.3'
implementation 'com.google.zxing:javase:3.5.3'

Generate QR Codes with ZXing

Code examples using the ZXing library in Java.

Basic QR Code Generation

import com.google.zxing.*;
import com.google.zxing.client.j2se.MatrixToImageWriter;
import com.google.zxing.common.BitMatrix;
import java.nio.file.Path;

public class QRGenerator {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        BitMatrix matrix = new MultiFormatWriter().encode(
            "https://qrcode.fun",
            BarcodeFormat.QR_CODE, 300, 300
        );
        MatrixToImageWriter.writeToPath(matrix, "PNG", Path.of("qrcode.png"));
    }
}

QR Code with Custom Colors

import com.google.zxing.*;
import com.google.zxing.common.BitMatrix;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;
import java.io.File;

public class CustomQR {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        BitMatrix matrix = new MultiFormatWriter().encode(
            "https://qrcode.fun",
            BarcodeFormat.QR_CODE, 300, 300
        );

        BufferedImage image = new BufferedImage(300, 300, BufferedImage.TYPE_INT_RGB);
        int darkColor = 0xFF1A2B3C;
        int lightColor = 0xFFFFFFFF;

        for (int x = 0; x < 300; x++) {
            for (int y = 0; y < 300; y++) {
                image.setRGB(x, y, matrix.get(x, y) ? darkColor : lightColor);
            }
        }
        ImageIO.write(image, "PNG", new File("qrcode_custom.png"));
    }
}

QRCode.fun API

Generate QR Codes via API in Java

Call the QRCode.fun API from Java using HttpClient for styled QR codes.

Java API Integration

import java.net.URI;
import java.net.http.*;

public class QRCodeAPI {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        String json = """
            {
                "data": "https://qrcode.fun",
                "width": 300,
                "height": 300,
                "type": "png",
                "margin": 10,
                "dotsOptions": { "color": "#1A2B3C", "type": "rounded" },
                "cornersSquareOptions": { "color": "#8564C3", "type": "extra-rounded" },
                "backgroundOptions": { "color": "#FFFFFF" }
            }
            """;

        HttpClient client = HttpClient.newHttpClient();
        HttpRequest request = HttpRequest.newBuilder()
            .uri(URI.create("https://qrcode.fun/api/generate-qr-styled"))
            .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
            .POST(HttpRequest.BodyPublishers.ofString(json))
            .build();

        HttpResponse<String> response = client.send(request,
            HttpResponse.BodyHandlers.ofString());
        System.out.println(response.body().substring(0, 100));
    }
}

Live QR Code Preview

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QR preview

Native Library vs API

Compare using ZXing directly versus the QRCode.fun API.

Feature	ZXing Library	QRCode.fun API
Setup complexity	Maven/Gradle dependency + BufferedImage	Single HTTP request
Customization	Size, error correction, margins	Full styling: colors, shapes, logos
Offline support	Yes	Requires internet
Maintenance	Update Maven/Gradle dependency	Always up-to-date
Output formats	PNG, JPG, BMP via ImageIO	PNG, SVG

Java QR Code Use Cases

Common scenarios for QR codes in Java applications.

Enterprise Applications

Generate QR codes in Spring Boot APIs for invoices, receipts, and document tracking in enterprise systems.

Android Apps

Use ZXing in Android applications for QR code scanning and generation with camera integration.

Batch Processing

Create thousands of QR codes in batch jobs for product labels, shipping, and inventory management.

PDF Generation

Embed QR codes into PDF documents using iText or Apache PDFBox for reports and tickets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about generating QR codes with Java.

ZXing (Zebra Crossing) is an open-source barcode processing library for Java. It supports reading and writing QR codes, barcodes, and other 2D matrix codes.

Start generating QR codes with Java

Use our free generator or integrate the API into your Java applications.

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