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Generating a QR code used to be so simple when goo.gl existed, as it was a great link shortener and QR code generator. However, Alphabet/Google, in their infinite wisdom, has decided to close the service, and then they were going to sunset all the links, which would have caused massive linkrot on a dying(dead?) internet. However, thanks to public outcry, Google has reversed its decision. Google's decision further illustrates the importance of a domain of ones own. My dear friend and colleague, Eileen Campbell-Reed, understood this point. When she published her book, Pastoral Imagination: Bringing the Practice of Ministry to Life, she utilized her own domain name, linkshorter, and QR codes, ensuring that her book had little to no link rot.
Thanks to the simplicity of Netlify's _redirects file, I can easily run my own link shorteners. However, one ongoing issue I face is generating QR codes quickly and effortlessly. I dislike using standard link shortening QR code services because some of these services want to lock you into high monthly fees, inject their own tracking, and set arbitrary limits on the codes. Another concern is what happens if the service is case sensitive, which can cause users to accidentally visit a different site. I want to create branded shortlinks and QR codes on a domain I own so that users and scanners can trust both, without injecting third-party code. For a while, I considered building my own QR code generator website, but that seemed like overkill. Instead, I once again turned to my trusty homebrew solution for Mac.
Generating QR Codes on macOS #
I found the official documentation to be deeply unhelpful, however Nikhil Vemu has a very helpful explainer. Here is what was most helpful to me:
qrencode -o code.png "https://aila.li/olp" -s 8
The default size of 3 is barely 99 pixels square, size 8 is almost 250 pixels which for me is a much more useful size.