What is a personal geodatabase?

A personal geodatabase is a Microsoft Access database that can store, query, and manage both spatial and nonspatial data. Because they are stored in Access databases, personal geodatabases have a maximum size of 2 GB. Additionally, only one person at a time can edit data in a personal geodatabase.

You create personal geodatabases in ArcGIS. See Creating a personal geodatabase or Creating new geodatabases with geoprocessing tools for instructions.

Personal geodatabases are made up of nine system tables plus user data. User data can be stored in the following types of datasets:

• Feature class
• Feature dataset
• Mosaic dataset
• Raster catalog
• Raster dataset
• Schematic dataset
• Table (nonspatial)
• Toolboxes

Feature datasets can contain feature classes as well as the following types of datasets:

• Parcel fabrics
• Feature-linked annotation
• Geometric networks
• Network datasets
• Relationship classes
• Terrains
• Topologies

Personal geodatabases can also contain domains, use subtypes, and participate in checkout/check-in replication and one-way replicas.