QR code vs barcode
A barcode is a one-dimensional pattern of lines read left to right; a QR code is a two-dimensional grid that holds far more data and scans from any angle.
Traditional barcodes (the UPC lines on packaging) encode a short number in one dimension, read by a laser sweeping across them. QR codes are two-dimensional: data runs both horizontally and vertically, so they hold hundreds of times more, enough for full URLs, contact cards, and Wi-Fi credentials. A phone camera reads them at any rotation.
That extra capacity is what lets a QR code carry a redirect URL, which is what makes it editable and trackable. A barcode points at a number in a database; a QR code can point at a link you steer.
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