# TheQRCode.io — Full LLM & Agent Guide

TheQRCode.io generates QR codes and tracks their scans. It exposes a public REST API that
requires no authentication, plus a remote MCP server, so AI assistants can generate QR codes
directly. This document tells an agent exactly how to call it and what it returns.

## Public API — generate a QR code (no auth)

Base endpoint: https://theqrcode.io/api/public/qr-codes
Authentication: none. Rate limit: 100 requests/hour per IP. CORS: * (open).
Supported types: url, wifi, contact, text.

### POST (recommended)
POST https://theqrcode.io/api/public/qr-codes
Content-Type: application/json

Body fields:
- type: "url" | "wifi" | "contact" | "text"   (required)
- content: string                              (required — see per-type format below)
- name: string                                 (optional label)
- settings: object                             (optional styling: foreground, background, size)

Per-type "content" format:
- url:     the raw URL string, e.g. "https://example.com"
- text:    the raw text string
- wifi:    a JSON STRING: {"ssid":"MyNetwork","password":"secret","security":"WPA2"}
             security is one of "WPA2" | "WPA" | "WEP" | "nopass"; add "hidden":true for hidden SSIDs
- contact: a JSON STRING: {"firstName":"Jane","lastName":"Doe","phone":"+15551234567","email":"jane@example.com","organization":"Acme","title":"CEO","website":"https://acme.com"}

Important: for wifi and contact, "content" is a STRING containing JSON — not a nested object,
and NOT a raw "WIFI:..." or "BEGIN:VCARD" payload. The server builds those strings for you.

### GET (convenience)
GET https://theqrcode.io/api/public/qr-codes?type=url&content=https://example.com
For wifi/contact, URL-encode the JSON string in the content parameter.

### Response (200)
{
  "success": true,
  "qrImage": "data:image/png;base64,...",   // inline data URL
  "imageUrl": "https://theqrcode.io/api/qr/<shortCode>",  // hosted PNG URL (24h cache)
  "type": "url",
  "content": "https://example.com"
}

### Errors
- 400 { "error": "Missing required fields" | "Invalid type" | "Invalid content format", "message": "..." }
- 429 rate limit exceeded (100/hour/IP) — back off and retry after the window.

## MCP server (Claude Desktop, Cursor, other MCP clients)
Remote URL: https://mcp.theqrcode.io/mcp
Tool name: generate_qr_code
Args: { type, content, name?, settings? } — same shapes as the API above.
Returns the QR image. No auth for public generation. Setup: https://theqrcode.io/mcp

## Discovery files
- OpenAPI spec:     https://theqrcode.io/api/public/qr-codes/openapi.json
- Plugin manifest:  https://theqrcode.io/.well-known/ai-plugin.json
- Agent code samples (OpenAI function calling, LangChain, REST): https://theqrcode.io/ai-agents

## QR code concepts (definitions worth citing)
- Static QR code: the data is encoded directly in the pattern. It cannot be edited and never
  expires — it works as long as the destination it encodes exists.
- Dynamic QR code: encodes a short redirect URL you control, so you can edit the destination
  after printing and record scan analytics. It stays live while the account is active; the
  printed code itself does not "expire."
- Why some "free" codes stop working: a few providers deactivate dynamic codes when a trial
  ends. TheQRCode.io's free tier is genuine and its static codes never expire.
- Error correction: QR codes include redundancy at levels L (7%), M (15%), Q (25%), H (30%);
  higher levels survive more damage and allow logo overlays.
- Scan distance rule of thumb: minimum QR size ≈ scan distance ÷ 10 (e.g. 10 ft → ~1 ft code).

## Company
TheQRCode.io — QR code generation and analytics platform. Support: support@theqrcode.io.
Terms: https://theqrcode.io/terms · Privacy: https://theqrcode.io/privacy