Pillar I
Definition
What the term Quick Response Code denotes, what its short form QR Code denotes, and how the two relate.
The Quick Response Code is a two-dimensional matrix symbology developed in 1994 by Denso Wave and standardized as ISO/IEC 18004. The pages collected here establish the canonical definition of the term, document its etymology, and disambiguate the full name from the trademarked short form.
The Quick Response Code is the formal subject of this reference. Every other pillar of the site — history, technology, standards, types, applications, infrastructure, and reference — proceeds from the definition recorded here.
Pages in this section
The canonical definition
The one-sentence definition of the Quick Response Code, with the longer institutional definition that supports it.
QR meaning
What the initials QR stand for and the rationale Denso Wave recorded for the name.
Quick Response Code vs. QR Code
Disambiguation between the full term and the registered trademark held by Denso Wave.
Etymology
The naming of the symbology in 1994 and the choice of the phrase Quick Response.