A barcode is a type of machine-readable optical character system composed of parallel lines or a matrix of bars and spaces of varying width. These patterns are designed to represent data in a codified manner, which is read by an optical scanner. The scanning process interprets the sequence of lines as binary data, converting the visual pattern into an alphanumeric string that identifies a specific item or product. The technology is fundamental to modern commerce and supply chain management, enabling rapid inventory tracking, product identification, and efficient data processing within warehousing, retail environments, and logistical systems.