What is EPL?
EPL (Eltron Programming Language) is the command language of Eltron desktop label printers, which Zebra acquired in 1998. It predates ZPL’s dominance on desktop hardware — printers like the LP2844 and early GK420 models speak EPL natively, and a long tail of shipping setups still emits it.
What it looks like
Section titled “What it looks like”NA50,50,0,4,1,1,N,"LabelZoom"B50,120,0,1,2,2,100,B,"12345678"P1EPL is line-oriented: N clears the buffer, A draws text, B draws a barcode, P1 prints one label. Compared to ZPL’s ^-prefixed commands, EPL reads like a simple script — one command per line, coordinates in dots.
EPL vs ZPL
Section titled “EPL vs ZPL”| EPL | ZPL | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 1990s Eltron desktops | Current Zebra standard |
| Structure | One command per line | ^ command stream |
| Hardware | Legacy desktop models | Virtually all current Zebras |
Modern Zebra desktop printers accept both, but new integrations should target ZPL. EPL survives mainly in legacy WMS configurations and older carrier integrations.
Working with EPL files
Section titled “Working with EPL files”EPL files are plain text (often .epl or .txt). The LabelZoom conversion engine parses EPL natively — rendering EPL labels to images and PDF the same way it renders ZPL. The REST API accepts epl as a source format today (e.g. POST /api/v2/convert/epl/to/pdf); see Supported formats and the API quickstart. Dedicated web tools are rolling out — contact us for anything you can’t find yet.
Related: What is ZPL? · What is TSPL? · What is DPL?