Developer(s) | Steve Lime originally, now a project of the OSGeo foundation |
---|---|
Initial release | 1994 |
Stable release | 8.0.1 / April 18, 2023 [1] |
Repository | |
Written in | C / C++ |
Platform | Cross-platform |
Type | GIS software (compare) |
License | X/MIT |
Website | mapserver.org |
MapServer is an open-source development environment for building spatially enabled internet applications, built in the C language, and is widely known as one of the fastest Web mapping engines available. It can run as a CGI program or via MapScript which supports several programming languages (using SWIG). MapServer can access hundreds of data formats, any raster or vector format supported by GDAL, and reprojections on-the-fly are handled by PROJ. MapServer was originally developed by Steve Lime, then working at the University of Minnesota — so, it was previously referred to as "UMN MapServer", to distinguish it from commercial "map servers"; today it is commonly referred to as just "MapServer", and is maintained by the MapServer Project Steering Committee (PSC). MapServer was originally developed with support from NASA, which needed a way to make its satellite imagery available to the public. [2]
In November 2005, Autodesk, the MapServer Technical Steering Committee Members, the University of Minnesota, and DM Solutions Group announced the creation of the MapServer Foundation. [3] With this announcement, Autodesk announced that its internet mapping application, MapGuide, would be developed as an open source application with all new code and be named "MapServer Enterprise". [3] The existing MapServer application would be renamed "MapServer Cheetah". [3] This name change was overwhelmingly opposed by the MapServer community. [4] Autodesk then backed off this name change and retained the name, "MapGuide" for its product. [4] Also, plans to establish the MapServer Foundation were scrapped; Instead, the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo) was established to include MapServer and other open source GIS projects (which now includes MapGuide Open Source). [5]
MapServer has had an important role in Web mapping history. The following is a summary of its evolution:
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