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7/17/2026
It started with a birthday present — why I built an open-source QR code generator

It started with a birthday present — why I built an open-source QR code generator

Short summary

A developer built QRcodly, an MIT-licensed open-source QR code generator, after being frustrated by paywalls and expiry tricks in existing tools. The article explains how most QR generators lock users into redirect subscriptions, making printed materials useless when trials end. QRcodly offers unlimited static and dynamic codes for free, with a Pro tier for business features like custom domains and API access.

  • •Most QR generators use dynamic redirect subscriptions that expire, turning printed codes into ads for their pricing page
  • •QRcodly is MIT-licensed, ensuring the no-expiry promise is enforceable via self-hosting
  • •Built with TypeScript and Fastify for a long-running server architecture beyond simple request/response

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.

#open-source
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