# Identification Technology (RFID, Barcodes)

*Last updated: 2026-06-26*

> A warehouse operative scans an incoming pallet and within milliseconds every package is logged in the warehouse management system—no manual data entry required.

A warehouse operative scans an incoming pallet and within milliseconds every package is logged in the warehouse management system—no manual data entry required. That is identification technology at work, present in freight and logistics primarily as two complementary tools: barcodes and RFID. Barcodes encode information in optical patterns of lines or dots and require a scanner with direct line of sight to the label. RFID—Radio Frequency Identification—transmits data via radio waves between a transponder and a reader, without line of sight, and can capture multiple items simultaneously. Both technologies enable automatic, reliable identification and tracking of goods, pallets, and containers throughout the supply chain. In practice they complement each other: barcodes remain the low-cost, universally deployed standard, while RFID suits high-throughput environments and delivers real-time data without manual scanning.

**Source:** [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_identification_and_data_capture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_identification_and_data_capture)

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Term | Identification Technology (RFID, Barcodes) |
| Language | EN |
| Word count | 129 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-26 |
| Source | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_identification_and_data_capture |

---

*Logistics Glossary — Freight Academy: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/identification-technology-rfid-barcodes](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/identification-technology-rfid-barcodes)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/glossary/en/identification-technology-rfid-barcodes](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/glossary/en/identification-technology-rfid-barcodes)*

*JSON summary: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/glossary/identification-technology-rfid-barcodes/llm-summary?lang=en](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/glossary/identification-technology-rfid-barcodes/llm-summary?lang=en)*