@qrcodesdk/cli

@qrcodesdk/cli generates QR codes from a terminal, shell script, or CI job. The qrc command prints compact UTF-8 terminal text or writes SVG and PNG files.

Runtime requirements

When executed with Node.js, @qrcodesdk/cli requires Node 22.12.0 or newer. Packed consumers are verified in CI on Node 22.12.0 and the latest Node 24.x release. The Deno and Bun commands below use those runtimes' Node compatibility layers and are not covered by the Node compatibility job.

Install

Install it globally when you want qrc available as a command anywhere:

npm install -g @qrcodesdk/cli

pnpm add -g @qrcodesdk/cli

vp

vp install -g @qrcodesdk/cli

deno

deno install --global @qrcodesdk/cli

bun

bun add -g @qrcodesdk/cli

yarn

yarn global add @qrcodesdk/cli

You can also run it from a project dependency.

npm install -D @qrcodesdk/cli

pnpm add -D @qrcodesdk/cli

vp

vp add -D @qrcodesdk/cli

deno

deno add --dev @qrcodesdk/cli

bun

bun add -D @qrcodesdk/cli

yarn

yarn add -D @qrcodesdk/cli

npx qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev"

pnpm exec qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev"

vp

vp exec qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev"

deno

deno x npm:@qrcodesdk/cli/qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev"

bun

bunx qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev"

yarn

yarn qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev"

Or use it without installing it.

npx @qrcodesdk/cli "https://qrcodesdk.dev"

pnpm dlx @qrcodesdk/cli "https://qrcodesdk.dev"

vp

vp dlx @qrcodesdk/cli "https://qrcodesdk.dev"

deno

deno x npm:@qrcodesdk/cli/qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev"

bun

bunx @qrcodesdk/cli "https://qrcodesdk.dev"

yarn

yarn dlx @qrcodesdk/cli "https://qrcodesdk.dev"

Print terminal text

Without an output file, qrc packs two QR rows into each terminal line and applies ANSI colors:

qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev"

Use full-height, double-width ██ modules when preferred:

qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev" --no-small

Disable ANSI styling explicitly for logs, files, and redirected output:

qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev" --no-ansi-colors

Render modules entirely as ANSI-colored spaces, without UTF-8 block glyphs:

qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev" --only-ansi-colors

The equivalent explicit boolean forms are --small false and --ansi-colors false. Both options also accept true. Layout and ANSI styling are independent and affect text output only. Compact and full block layouts require UTF-8; ANSI-background-only output contains spaces and escape sequences instead. ANSI remains enabled by default when standard output is redirected; the CLI does not inspect TTY state or NO_COLOR.

--only-ansi-colors ignores the small setting and implies ANSI output. It cannot be combined with --no-ansi-colors or --ansi-colors false.

Write SVG's

An .svg output path selects SVG automatically:

qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev" --output qrcode.svg

You can also set the format explicitly:

qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev" --format svg --output qrcode.svg

Write PNGs

An .png output path selects PNG automatically:

qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev" --output qrcode.png

Or pass the format explicitly:

qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev" --format png --output qrcode.png

SVG and PNG output require --output. If the extension is not .svg or .png, pass --format explicitly.

Customize output

qrc "https://qrcodesdk.dev" \
  --output qrcode.svg \
  --error-correction H \
  --size 2 \
  --margin 3 \
  --color-dark '#111827' \
  --color-light '#ffffff' \
  --aria-label 'Scan to open qrcodesdk.dev'

Most applications can leave the data mode, version, and mask on automatic selection. Pin them when you need a compatibility target or deterministic fixture:

qrc "HELLO WORLD" \
  --mode alphanumeric \
  --version 1 \
  --mask 2 \
  --output hello.svg

Options

| Option | Description | Default | | --------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | :---------- | | [data] | Positional QR code input data. | - | | --input <value> | QR code input data, equivalent to positional [data]. | - | | -V | Print the installed CLI package version. | - | | --format <text\|svg\|png> | Output format. Inferred from .svg or .png output paths. | - | | -o, --output <path> | Required output path for SVG and PNG. | - | | --mode <numeric\|alphanumeric\|octet> | QR code data mode. | Auto | | --error-correction <L\|M\|Q\|H> | Error correction level. | M | | --version <1-40> | Pin a QR code version. | Auto | | --mask <0-7> | Pin a QR code mask. | Auto | | --size <number> | Module size as a positive integer. | 1 | | --margin <number> | Margin as a non-negative integer. | 2 | | --small <true\|false> | Pack two QR rows into each terminal line. | true | | --no-small | Alias for --small false. | - | | --ansi-colors <true\|false> | Style terminal text with ANSI colors. | true | | --no-ansi-colors | Alias for --ansi-colors false. | - | | --only-ansi-colors | Use ANSI background cells without UTF-8 block glyphs. | false | | --color-dark <#rrggbb> | Dark module color. | #000000 | | --color-light <#rrggbb> | Light module color. | #ffffff | | --alt <text> | SVG alt text. | undefined | | --aria-label <text> | SVG aria-label. | undefined | | --title <text> | SVG title. | undefined |

Colors must be six-digit hex values. --size must be positive and --margin must be non-negative. For block-glyph text output, the dark color is the ANSI foreground and the light color is the ANSI background. With --only-ansi-colors, both become module background colors.

Interactive and automated use

In an interactive terminal, qrc prompts only for missing required values such as input, an ambiguous format, or a file output path.

In a non-interactive shell or CI job, missing required values fail with a clear error instead of opening a prompt. Pass every required value explicitly:

qrc \
  --input "https://qrcodesdk.dev" \
  --format png \
  --output artifacts/qrcode.png

Successful file output writes a confirmation to standard error, leaving standard output available for terminal QR code content and pipeline use.

Documentation

• @qrcodesdk/cli
• Installation
• Customize QR Codes
• Render Terminal Text
• Render SVG
• Render PNG in Node.js