Skip to content

Decoder QR Code Tool

Scan and Generate QR Codes

Decoder is a simple and elegant utility for the GNOME desktop designed for a single purpose: working with QR codes. In a world where QR codes are used for everything from sharing Wi-Fi passwords to accessing restaurant menus, having a dedicated tool to handle them is essential.

Decoder provides two primary functions in a clean, focused interface:

  1. Scanning: Decode QR codes, either by using your computer's webcam or by selecting an image file.
  2. Generating: Create your own QR codes from any text you provide.

Its tight integration with the GNOME desktop makes it feel like a natural part of the operating system.

Installation

The recommended way to install Decoder on Rocky Linux is as a Flatpak from the Flathub repository. This method ensures you have the latest version of the application in a secure, sandboxed environment.

1. Enable Flathub

If you have not already done so, ensure you have Flatpak installed and the Flathub remote configured on your system.

# Install the Flatpak package
sudo dnf install flatpak

# Add the Flathub remote repository
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

2. Install Decoder

Once Flathub is enabled, you can install Decoder with a single command:

flatpak install flathub com.belmoussaoui.Decoder

How to Use Decoder

After installation, you can launch Decoder from the GNOME Activities Overview.

Scanning a QR Code

When you first open Decoder, it is ready to scan. You have two options:

  • Scan with Camera: Click the camera icon in the top-left. A window will appear showing your webcam's feed. Simply point the webcam at a QR code to scan it in real-time.
  • Scan from Image: Click the image icon in the top-right. This will open a file chooser, allowing you to select a saved image or screenshot that contains a QR code.

Once a code is scanned, Decoder intelligently parses its content. If the code contains a website URL, it will display the link with a button to open it in your default web browser. If it contains plain text, it will display the text with a convenient button to copy it to your clipboard.

Generating a QR Code

To create your own QR code, click the "Generate" button at the top of the Decoder window.

  1. A text box will appear. Simply type or paste the text you wish to encode into this box.
  2. As you type, a QR code representing your text is instantly generated on the right.
  3. You can then click the "Save as Image..." button to save the QR code as a .png file, or click the "Copy to Clipboard" button to paste it into other applications.

Decoder is a perfect example of the GNOME design philosophy: a simple, beautiful, and highly effective tool that does one job exceptionally well.

Author: Wale Soyinka