2D barcodes offer the ability to encode more characters in a smaller space. In a 1D code, the length grows as more characters are added. There is a practical limit to the length of a linear barcode based on the field of view of the barcode scanner. This limitation could be 25 characters depending on the barcode type and print density. By comparison, a 2D data matrix barcode ”0.25 x 0.25” can hold 50 characters or more.