How to Bulk Generate QR Codes

Need QR codes for every product in your catalog? Every seat at your event? Every flyer in your marketing campaign? This guide shows you how to efficiently generate QR codes in bulk.

Two Approaches to Bulk Generation

You can generate QR codes in bulk using two methods:

Sequential API calls: Loop through your data and make individual requests (simpler, works for any plan)
Batch endpoint: Send multiple items in a single request (faster, Pro plan)

Method 1: Sequential Generation

Perfect for small to medium batches (up to a few hundred QR codes):

JavaScript - Sequential Bulk Generation

const products = [
  { id: 'SKU001', url: 'https://shop.com/product/1' },
  { id: 'SKU002', url: 'https://shop.com/product/2' },
  { id: 'SKU003', url: 'https://shop.com/product/3' },
  // ... more products
];

async function generateBulkQRCodes(items) {
  const results = [];
  
  for (const item of items) {
    const response = await fetch('https://www.qrcodeapi.io/api/generate', {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: {
        'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
      },
      body: JSON.stringify({
        data: item.url,
        size: 300,
        format: 'png'
      })
    });

    const blob = await response.blob();
    results.push({
      id: item.id,
      qrCode: blob
    });
    
    // Small delay to respect rate limits
    await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 100));
  }
  
  return results;
}

const qrCodes = await generateBulkQRCodes(products);

Method 2: Parallel Generation

For faster processing with higher rate limits:

JavaScript - Parallel Generation with Concurrency Control

async function generateParallel(items, concurrency = 5) {
  const results = [];
  
  for (let i = 0; i < items.length; i += concurrency) {
    const batch = items.slice(i, i + concurrency);
    
    const batchResults = await Promise.all(
      batch.map(async (item) => {
        const response = await fetch('https://www.qrcodeapi.io/api/generate', {
          method: 'POST',
          headers: {
            'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
          },
          body: JSON.stringify({ data: item.url, size: 300 })
        });
        
        return {
          id: item.id,
          qrCode: await response.blob()
        };
      })
    );
    
    results.push(...batchResults);
    console.log(`Processed ${Math.min(i + concurrency, items.length)}/${items.length}`);
  }
  
  return results;
}

// Generate 5 QR codes at a time
const qrCodes = await generateParallel(products, 5);

Saving QR Codes to Files

Here's how to save the generated QR codes to files:

Node.js - Save to Files

const fs = require('fs');
const path = require('path');

async function saveQRCodes(qrCodes, outputDir) {
  // Create output directory
  if (!fs.existsSync(outputDir)) {
    fs.mkdirSync(outputDir, { recursive: true });
  }
  
  for (const { id, qrCode } of qrCodes) {
    const buffer = Buffer.from(await qrCode.arrayBuffer());
    const filePath = path.join(outputDir, `${id}.png`);
    fs.writeFileSync(filePath, buffer);
  }
  
  console.log(`Saved ${qrCodes.length} QR codes to ${outputDir}`);
}

await saveQRCodes(qrCodes, './qr-codes');

Common Use Cases

Product Inventory

Generate QR codes for each product SKU linking to product details, manuals, or warranty registration.

Event Tickets

Create unique QR codes for each attendee for check-in and ticket validation.

Marketing Materials

Generate different QR codes for different flyer versions to A/B test messaging.

Asset Tracking

Create QR codes for equipment, inventory items, or shipments for tracking and management.

Best Practices

Respect rate limits: Add delays between requests or use the concurrency control pattern
Handle errors gracefully: Implement retry logic for failed requests
Use meaningful file names: Name files with IDs or descriptions for easy reference
Store mappings: Keep a CSV or database linking QR codes to their destinations
Test first: Generate a small batch first to verify settings before bulk generation

Ready for Bulk QR Generation?

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