Hardware and barcode scanners

Hardware and barcode scanners

The server can run on any Docker-capable host. Raspberry Pi hardware is needed only for locally attached camera, USB scanner, NFC or Nextion devices.

Recommended base hardware

• Raspberry Pi 4 or newer for an all-in-one installation
• Reliable power supply and persistent storage
• Docker Engine with Docker Compose
• Wired Ethernet where practical
• Optional camera or USB HID barcode scanner

Camera scanner

Camera mode is the default:

SCANNER_MODE=camera

The service expects /dev/video0 and starts with docker compose --profile scanner up -d.

USB barcode scanner

Keyboard-style USB readers are supported:

SCANNER_MODE=usb
USB_SCANNER_DEVICE=/dev/input/by-id/usb-your-scanner-event-kbd
USB_SCANNER_MIN_LENGTH=8

Use a stable /dev/input/by-id/ path when several keyboard-like devices exist. With protected checkout, the reader opens only after NFC or PIN login and closes after a successful booking or the login timeout.

NFC and display

The tested NFC path uses a PC/SC-compatible ACS ACR122U. Start it with:

docker compose --profile scanner --profile nfc up -d

For display model, wiring and UART setup, see Nextion display. For account behavior, see User accounts and NFC.