About web GIS

A common task that you'll perform as an ArcGIS user is to utilize web GIS and web GIS applications to make your services available to others within and outside your organization. You will design and create these web GIS applications using a wide variety of resources, and your end users will use these applications to address any number of questions, missions, and problems.

This help section serves as a guide for informing you about the advantages of web GIS, what you should consider before designing a web GIS application, how to leverage ArcGIS resources in basemap and operational layers, and options for performing editing in web GIS applications. Links to ancillary topics are provided to help you gain a better understanding of the resources available to you when designing and creating web GIS applications.

What is web GIS?

Web GIS is a type of distributed information system, comprising at least a server and a client, where the server is a GIS server and the client is a web browser, desktop application, or mobile application. In its simplest form, web GIS can be defined as any GIS that uses web technology to communicate between a server and a client.

Here are a few key elements essential to web GIS:

The web GIS advantage

By utilizing the Internet to access information over the web without regard to how far apart the server and client might be from each other, web GIS introduces distinct advantages over traditional desktop GIS, including the following:

These characteristics reveal both the advantages and challenges facing web GIS. For example, the easy-to-use nature of web GIS stimulates public participation, but it also reminds you to take into account Internet users who have no GIS background. Conversely, supporting a large number of users requires web GIS to be scalable.

12/18/2014