List of spatial analysis software

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Spatial analysis software is software written to enable and facilitate spatial analysis. Currently, there are several packages, both free software and proprietary software, which cover most of the spatial data infrastructure stack.

Contents

Packages

PackageFree of chargeOperating SystemsDeveloper institution/personWebsiteField of interest (if any specific)Main FeaturesLanguageLicense
CARTONoWeb-based (Cloud SaaS)CARTOwww.carto.comSpatial data science & location intelligenceSpatial SQL, spatial data science, location analytics, site selection, data visualization, mapping, geocoding and app development. Access to a catalog of 1,000s of spatial datasets.Proprietary (with free trial available).
FractNo Linux, Windows, Unix, iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Cloud Fract, Inc. www.fract.com Geospatial AI Analytics for Business IntelligenceEase of use, AI feedback, Territory MappingProprietary
MapciteYes for Excel addin Linux, Windows, Unix, iOS, Android, Windows Phone Mapcite Ltd - London and Sydneywww.mapcite.comGeospatial data analytics, location data sets, geocodingEase of aggregation and harmonisation of disparate data sets to expose insights and create new data.Proprietary
360FranTerra

20/20iSite

MarketMentor

NoGbBIS GbBIS Custom web applications used for a range of spatial analysis including franchise territory design and management, location analysis and site selection, market analysis and more.
LuciadLightspeedNo Linux, Windows, Unix, iOS, Android, Windows Phone Luciad Luciad LuciadLightspeed is widely recognized as the leading set of high-performance geospatial software components.LuciadLightspeed consists of over 100 different software components and connectors to fuse, visualize and analyze geospatial data. This can include static and moving data, maps, satellite imagery, crowd-sourced data, full motion video, weather data and terrain elevation in many different geodetic references and map projections. Geo-fencing, line-of-sight calculations, geo-triggered events, dynamic and complex route calculations and automated anomaly detection are just a mouse click away. Independent benchmark tests by academia and industry leave no doubt: LuciadLightspeed is over 100 times faster and more accurate than traditional GIS software. Web API, Java-J2EE, .NET, JavaScript, HTML5 Proprietary.
Polaris IntelligenceNo Linux, Windows, Unix, iOS, Android, Windows Phone Polaris Intelligence Polaris Intelligence Geospatial data analytics, business intelligenceEasy to use. Polaris Intelligence consists of multiple modules including mapping (thematic maps, heat maps, POI maps, trade area maps), customer profiling, gravity models, customer allocation models, feature selection, data mining, and targeting. A key strength is the vast quantities of consumer geo-demographic and behaviour data native to the platform.
ArcGIS No Linux, Windows, Unix, iOS, Android, Windows Phone Esri Esri A GIS system to create, visualize, manage, and analyze spatial data. Supports desktop, web, and mobile applications.In addition to spatial data editing and visualization, ArcGIS provides spatial analysis and modeling features including overlay, surface, proximity, suitability, and network analysis, as well as interpolation analysis and other geostatistical modeling techniques. Python, Web API, .NET Proprietary. Analytical extensions can be purchased separately.
ClusterPy (non-GUI, open source)
GeoGrouper (GUI, free)
yes Linux, MAC OS, Windows RiSE group (@gmail:rise.group.eafit), Dr. Juan C. Duque and Boris Dev ClusterPy
Geogrouper
Spatial clusteringLibrary of algorithms to aggregate areas into regions, where each region is geographically connected, while optimizing a predefined objective function. Python BSD license
R-Analysis of Spatial Datayes Linux, MAC OS, Windows Roger Bivand (maintainer) CRAN site for Analysis of Spatial Data, R-Forge site AnalysisFull integration of spatial data analysis tools with the R: classes for spatial data; handling spatial data; reading and writing spatial data; point pattern analysis; geostatistics; disease mapping and areal data analysis; spatial regression and ecological analysis.R GPL-2
Google Earth yes Linux, MAC OS, Windows Google Google Earth 3D visualisation Easy to use, dynamic graphics, historical maps, users can create dynamic "tours," integrated with the Web.- Freeware
PySALyes Linux, MAC OS, Windows GeoDa Center pysal.org AnalysisModules for: computational geometry, spatial weights, ESDA, inequality,

mobility and spatial econometrics

Python BSD license
Minervayes Linux, MAC OS, Windows Fulton High Performance Computing Initiative

(Arizona State University)

Minerva ProjectVisualization (3D)High performance; ability to display large amounts of raster and vector from multiple sources C++ BSD license
GMap Creatoryes Linux, MAC OS, Windows CASA CASA website for GMap Creator Web MappingThematic mapping. Creates image pictures from shapefiles and creates Google Maps websites with the data linked to the shapefile- Freeware
QGIS yes Linux, MAC OS, Windows QGIS Development Team qgis.org VisualizationEasy to use, ability to expand functionality with Python plugins. Geo-processing functions included.C++ GPL
GRASS yes Linux, MAC OS, Windows GRASS Development Team http://grass.osgeo.org GISExtensive set of GIS tools for both raster and vector data, SQL, visualization, voxelC, C++, Python, Tcl GPL
GeoDa yes Windows, MAC OS, Linux Center for Spatial Data Science, University of Chicagowebsite AnalysisInteractive exploratory spatial data analysis, dynamic linking and brushing for cross-section data, local cluster stats, basic spatial regression capabilities.C++ GPL
STARSyes Linux, MAC OS, Windows GeoDa Center Website at REGAL AnalysisESTDA (Exploratory Space-Time Data Analysis). Interactive linking, brushing and travelling for space-time data Python GPL
GeoDaSpace yes MAC OS, Windows Center for Spatial Data Science, University of ChicagoDownloadSpatial EconometricsAdvanced spatial models for cross section (GMM, IV and spatial HAC) Python Freeware
SANETyes Windows Atsu Okabe Website Point patterns in networksAnalysis of events that occur on networks or alongside networks. Includes 14 tools for point patterns in networks

(list [ permanent dead link ])

- Freeware (terms [ permanent dead link ])
CrimeStat yes Windows Ned Levine and Associates Website Spatial analysis of points, zones, and linesBasic spatial description, hot spot analysis, kernel density interpolation, space-time interaction, journey-to-crime analysis (Geographic profiling), crime travel demand modelling, and spatial regression.- Freeware
SaTScanyes Windows, Linux, MAC OS Martin Kulldorff and Information Management Services Inc. satscan.org Applications by Field of Study Spatial, temporal and Space-Time Scan StatisticsC/C++, Java Freeware
Croizatyes Linux, MAC OS, Windows Mauro J. Cavalcanti Website at SourceForge PanbiogeographyAbility to integrate and analyze spatial data on species or other taxa and

to explore geographical patterns in diversity under a panbiogeographic and graph-theoretic approach

Python GPL
Hawths Toolsyes (Requires ArcGIS, which is not free) Windows Hawthorne Beyer Website Ecology Analysis, sampling, animal movements, kernel, raster, table, vector editing, specialist and other tools.Freeware
Fragstatsyes Windows Dr. Kevin McGarigal - University of Massachusetts Website Landscape metrics for categorical map patternsArea, density, edge metrics. Shape metrics (Fractal dimension index) and much more.Visual C++Freeware
Patch Analystyes Windows Rob Rempel - Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystems Research Website Patch metrics for categorical map patternsMean patch size, Number of patches, Indices of patchiness, edge metrics, and much more.Visual C++Freeware
SAGAyes Windows, Linux Institute of Geography at the University of Hamburg, Germany Website GIS, AnalysisGrid analysis, Geostatistics, Terrain Analysis, Hydrology simulation, TIN tools.C++OpenSource
Whitebox GAT yes Linux, MAC OS, Windows John Lindsay - Centre for Hydrogeomatics, University of Guelph, Canada Website GIS and remote sensing packageGIS analysis, hydrological tools, image processing tools, LiDAR tools, statistical analysis, stream network analysis, terrain analysis .NET framework 3.5 GPL
ILWIS Open yes Windows ITC - Netherlands Website Remote sensing and GIS software which integrates image, vector and thematic data.Integrated raster and vector design; import and export of widely used data formats; on-screen and tablet digitizing; image processing tools; orthophoto, image geo-referencing, transformation and mosaicing; Advanced modelling and spatial data analysis; 3D visualization; projection and coordinate system library; geo-statistical analyses; production and visualization of stereo image pairs; spatial Multiple Criteria Evaluation; WMS; Surface Energy Balances.- GPL
Map Comparison Kit (MCK)yes Windows Research Institute for Knowledge Systems MCK Website Map comparisons for categorical and numerical maps.A large number of map comparison algorithms for categorical and numerical maps, including Kappa, variations to Kappa, and landscape metrics.C++Freeware
IDRISI No Windows Clark Labs/Clark University Clark Labs GIS, Image Processing, Spatial ModellingA GIS analysis package for basic and advanced spatial analysis, an Image Processing system with extensive hard and soft classifiers including machine learning classifiers, integrated modelling environments including the Earth Trends Modeller for image time series of environmental trends and Land Change Modeller for land change analysis and prediction.DelphiProprietary
BiodiverseYes Linux, Windows, Unix, macOS Shawn Laffan Biodiverse Biogeography, Biodiversity, EnvironmentalBiodiverse is a tool for the spatial analysis of diversity using indices based on taxonomic, phylogenetic and matrix-based (e.g. genetic distance) relationships, as well as related environmental variations. Biodiverse supports: linked visualisation of data in geographic, taxonomic, phylogenetic and matrix spaces; Spatial moving window analyses; Spatially constrained agglomerative cluster and region grower analyses; and Randomisations for hypothesis testing. Perl LGPL
ERDAS IMAGINE No Windows Intergraph ERDAS IMAGINGE Remote Sensing, Image Processing, Spatial Modelling, GISERDAS IMAGINE incorporates geospatial image processing and analysis, remote sensing, and GIS capabilities into a single powerful, convenient package. ERDAS IMAGINE enables users to easily create value-added products such as 2D and 3D images, 3D fly-through movies, and cartographic-quality map compositions from geospatial data. C, C++ Proprietary
TerraLensNo Linux, Windows, Unix, MacOS, Android, Windows Phone Kongsberg Geospatial Kongsberg Geospatial TerraLens is a real-time computing geospatial software platform optimized for mission-critical applications and performance on low-end hardware and chipsets.TerraLens is a geospatial platform that includes a comprehensive core API, as well as additional tools like a Web Map Tile Service (WMTS) tile server, a map styling and packaging tool, and a UI development middleware toolkit. TerraLens is designed to easily fuse and integrate a wide range of real-time data sources, including SONAR, RADAR, and LIDAR data, full-motion video, and proprietary or open-source data that includes geolocation elements with terrain elevation and satellite imagery in a wide range of formats and map projections. TerraLens is used extensively for real-time applications including naval and air defence, beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) mission management for unmanned systems, and air traffic management. C++, Java-J2EE, .NET, QT (software), Web GL Proprietary
GIS Spatial Analytics & AnalysisNoWeb-basedMarketing Systems Group GIS Spatial Analytics & Analysis Spatial analysis and data visualization for an array of business and government sectorsLeverage the power of geographic and demographic data using MSG’s full suite of GIS services: reports and maps, geocoding, spatial analytics, geographic frame design and much more. From simple maps and reports to multifaceted data, spatial projects, and custom consulting, MSG’s GIS group has you covered.-Proprietary

See also

Related Research Articles

Geographic information system System to capture, manage and present geographic data

A geographic information system (GIS) is a type of database containing geographic data, combined with software tools for managing, analyzing, and visualizing those data. In a broader sense, one may consider such a system to also include human users and support staff, procedures and workflows, body of knowledge of relevant concepts and methods, and institutional organizations.

PostGIS Geospatial extension for the PostgreSQL Database

PostGIS is an open source software program that adds support for geographic objects to the PostgreSQL object-relational database. PostGIS follows the Simple Features for SQL specification from the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC).

GeoTIFF is a public domain metadata standard which allows georeferencing information to be embedded within a TIFF file. The potential additional information includes map projection, coordinate systems, ellipsoids, datums, and everything else necessary to establish the exact spatial reference for the file. The GeoTIFF format is fully compliant with TIFF 6.0, so software incapable of reading and interpreting the specialized metadata will still be able to open a GeoTIFF format file.

In computing, GeoServer is an open-source server written in Java that allows users to share, process and edit geospatial data. Designed for interoperability, it publishes data from any major spatial data source using open standards. GeoServer has evolved to become an easy method of connecting existing information to virtual globes such as Google Earth and NASA World Wind as well as to web-based maps such as OpenLayers, Leaflet, Google Maps and Bing Maps. GeoServer functions as the reference implementation of the Open Geospatial Consortium Web Feature Service standard, and also implements the Web Map Service, Web Coverage Service and Web Processing Service specifications.

GeoTools is a free software (LGPL) GIS toolkit for developing standards compliant solutions. It provides an implementation of Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) specifications as they are developed. GeoTools is a contributor to the GeoAPI project - a vendor-neutral set of Java interfaces derived from OGC specifications - and implements a subset of those.

A GIS software program is a computer program to support the use of a geographic information system, providing the ability to create, store, manage, query, analyze, and visualize geographic data, that is, data representing phenomena for which location is important. The GIS software industry encompasses a broad range of commercial and open-source products that provide some or all of these capabilities within various information technology architectures.

A spatial database is a general-purpose database that has been enhanced to include spatial data that represents objects defined in a geometric space, along with tools for querying and analyzing such data. Most spatial databases allow the representation of simple geometric objects such as points, lines and polygons. Some spatial databases handle more complex structures such as 3D objects, topological coverages, linear networks, and triangulated irregular networks (TINs). While typical databases have developed to manage various numeric and character types of data, such databases require additional functionality to process spatial data types efficiently, and developers have often added geometry or feature data types. The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) developed the Simple Features specification and sets standards for adding spatial functionality to database systems. The SQL/MM Spatial ISO/IEC standard is a part the SQL/MM multimedia standard and extends the Simple Features standard with data types that support circular interpolations.

QGIS Open source desktop GIS software

QGIS is a free and open-source cross-platform desktop geographic information system (GIS) application that supports viewing, editing, printing, and analysis of geospatial data.

The Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo), is a non-profit non-governmental organization whose mission is to support and promote the collaborative development of open geospatial technologies and data. The foundation was formed in February 2006 to provide financial, organizational and legal support to the broader Free and open-source geospatial community. It also serves as an independent legal entity to which community members can contribute code, funding and other resources.

GDAL Translator library for raster and vector geospatial data formats

The Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL) is a computer software library for reading and writing raster and vector geospatial data formats, and is released under the permissive X/MIT style free software license by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation. As a library, it presents a single abstract data model to the calling application for all supported formats. It may also be built with a variety of useful command line interface utilities for data translation and processing. Projections and transformations are supported by the PROJ library.

JTS Topology Suite is an open-source Java software library that provides an object model for Euclidean planar linear geometry together with a set of fundamental geometric functions. JTS is primarily intended to be used as a core component of vector-based geomatics software such as geographical information systems. It can also be used as a general-purpose library providing algorithms in computational geometry.

Geospatial metadata is a type of metadata applicable to geographic data and information. Such objects may be stored in a geographic information system (GIS) or may simply be documents, data-sets, images or other objects, services, or related items that exist in some other native environment but whose features may be appropriate to describe in a (geographic) metadata catalog.

The GeoNetwork opensource (GNOS) project is a free and open source (FOSS) cataloging application for spatially referenced resources. It is a catalog of location-oriented information.

A spatial data infrastructure (SDI) is a data infrastructure implementing a framework of geographic data, metadata, users and tools that are interactively connected in order to use spatial data in an efficient and flexible way. Another definition is "the technology, policies, standards, human resources, and related activities necessary to acquire, process, distribute, use, maintain, and preserve spatial data".

Luc Anselin is one of the principal developers of the field of spatial econometrics.

Hexagon Geospatial's GeoMedia Professional is a geographic information system (GIS) management solution for map generation and the analysis of geographic information with smart tools that capture and edit spatial data. GeoMedia is used for: creating geographic data; managing geospatial databases; joining business data, location intelligence and geographic data together; creating hard and soft-copy maps; conduct analysis in 'real-time'; base platform for multiple applications, geographic data validation, publishing geospatial information and analyzing mapped information.

Open Geospatial Consortium Standards organization

The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), an international voluntary consensus standards organization, originated in 1994. In the OGC, more than 500 commercial, governmental, nonprofit and research organizations collaborate in a consensus process encouraging development and implementation of open standards for geospatial content and services, sensor web and Internet of Things, GIS data processing and data sharing.

GeoSPARQL is a standard for representation and querying of geospatial linked data for the Semantic Web from the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). The definition of a small ontology based on well-understood OGC standards is intended to provide a standardized exchange basis for geospatial RDF data which can support both qualitative and quantitative spatial reasoning and querying with the SPARQL database query language.

A GeoPackage (GPKG) is an open, non-proprietary, platform-independent and standards-based data format for geographic information system implemented as a SQLite database container. Defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) with the backing of the US military and published in 2014, GeoPackage has seen widespread support from various government, commercial, and open source organizations.

CyberGIS, or cyber geographic information science and systems, is an interdisciplinary field combining cyberinfrastructure, e-science, and geographic information science and systems (GIS). CyberGIS has a particular focus on computational and data-intensive geospatial problem-solving within various research and education domains. The need for GIS has extended beyond traditional forms of geographic analysis and study, which includes adapting to new sources and kinds of data, high-performance computing resources, and online platforms based on existing and emerging information networks. The name cyberGIS first appeared in Geographic Information Science literature in 2010. CyberGIS is characterized as digital geospatial ecosystems. These systems are developed and have evolved through heterogeneous computing environments, as well as human communication and information environments. CyberGIS can be considered a new generation of geographic information systems (GIS). These systems are based on advanced computing and information infrastructure, which analyze and model geospatial data, providing computationally intensive spatial analysis, modeling, and collaborative geospatial problem-solving at previously unprecedented scales.

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