Master Python QR Code Generation: Guide to qrcode Parameters & Image Types

Project address https://github.com/lincolnloop/python-qrcode Import import qrcode Usage

QRCode method

qrcode.QRCode(
    version=1,
    error_correction=qrcode.ERROR_CORRECT_L,
    box_size=10,
    border=4,
    image_factory=None,
    mask_pattern=None
)

Parameter explanations

version: controls the QR code size (1‑40). Value 1 yields a 21×21 matrix; None or fit=True lets the library choose the smallest size automatically.

error_correction: level of error correction (L≈7% errors corrected, M≈15% default, Q≈25%, H≈30%).

box_size: pixel size of each module, default 10.

border: number of modules for the white border, default 4.

image_factory: selects the image backend, default is PIL.

mask_pattern: selects the mask pattern used during generation.

Common methods add_data(str, optimize=20): add data to be encoded; set optimize=0 to disable optimization. make(fit=True): automatically chooses the smallest version and mask; does not return a value.

make_image(fill_color=None, back_color=None, image_factory=None)

: creates and returns an image (default PIL); colors can be customized. clear(): clears the stored data. get_matrix(): returns the QR code matrix as a list of lists. print_ascii(out=None, tty=False, invert=False): prints the QR code as ASCII art.

SVG generation

qrcode can produce three SVG variants: a path‑based vector image, a full rectangle‑based SVG, and a rectangle fragment. They correspond to SvgPathImage, SvgImage, and SvgFragmentImage in svg.py. Pass the desired class as image_factory when calling qrcode.make or creating a QRCode instance.

import qrcode.image.svg
if method == 'basic':
    factory = qrcode.image.svg.SvgImage
elif method == 'fragment':
    factory = qrcode.image.svg.SvgFragmentImage
else:
    factory = qrcode.image.svg.SvgPathImage
img = qrcode.make('Some data here', image_factory=factory)

PNG generation

Optional pymaging and pymaging-png packages allow using PymagingImage as image_factory for PNG output, but the default PIL backend already creates PNG files.

import qrcode
from qrcode.image.pure import PymagingImage
img = qrcode.make('Some data here', image_factory=PymagingImage)

make method

The make function internally creates a QRCode instance and calls make_image(), returning a PIL image by default.

# Show image
qrcode.make('hello world!').show()
# Save PNG
qrcode.make('hello world!').save('hello.png')

run_example

Generates a QR code for the author's project website and displays it.