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ArcGIS

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ArcGIS is a comprehensive family of geographic information system (GIS) software products developed by Esri, designed to create, manage, analyze, visualize, and share geographic data and maps across desktop, web, and mobile platforms. As the leading GIS technology, it integrates spatial data with location context to support decision-making in fields such as urban planning, environmental management, business intelligence, and public safety. The platform emphasizes scalability, collaboration, and advanced analytics, enabling users from individuals to large organizations to derive insights from geospatial information. Esri, the company behind ArcGIS, was founded in 1969 by Jack and Laura Dangermond as Environmental Systems to advance GIS innovation. The initial release of ArcGIS occurred in late 1999 with version 8.0, introducing an integrated architecture that combined previous products like and ArcView into a unified system for broader GIS functionality. Over the years, ArcGIS has evolved through regular updates, incorporating advancements such as , 3D visualization, , and AI-driven analytics, with major milestones including the launch of ArcGIS Online in 2012 for web-based mapping. Today, ArcGIS powers a global community of users across hundreds of thousands of organizations, contributing to applications like and . The ArcGIS ecosystem comprises core components tailored to diverse workflows: , a powerful 64-bit desktop application for advanced mapping, , and released in 2015; ArcGIS Online, a secure cloud-based SaaS platform for , app creation, and collaboration; and ArcGIS Enterprise, an on-premises solution for customized GIS deployments with mapping, analytics, and data management capabilities. Supporting these are specialized tools like ArcGIS StoryMaps for interactive multimedia narratives, ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World for ready-to-use global geographic content, and developer APIs for custom extensions. This modular structure allows seamless integration across environments, fostering interoperability with other data sources and emphasizing user-centric design for professional and educational use.

History

Origins and Early Development

Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri), originally known as ESRI, was founded in 1969 by and his wife Laura Dangermond in , initially operating as a land-use consulting firm focused on applying geographic analysis to projects. Inspired by early work at Harvard's for Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis and Ian McHarg's Design with Nature, the Dangermonds aimed to leverage computing for spatial problem-solving, conducting manual mapping and analysis for clients in and resource management before shifting toward software development. This consulting phase built foundational expertise in geographic information systems (GIS), laying the groundwork for 's transition into a software pioneer. The company's pivot to commercial software began in earnest with the release of ARC/INFO in 1981, Esri's first major GIS product designed for minicomputers and emphasizing vector-based to integrate geographic features with attribute information. ARC/INFO enabled topology-aware , such as network connectivity and overlay operations, marking a significant advancement in professional GIS tools and solidifying 's role in the field. Building on this, Esri introduced ArcCAD in 1987 as an extension for , facilitating the integration of GIS functionalities like topological editing and spatial querying directly within a (CAD) environment to bridge workflows with geographic . A major milestone came in 1991 with the launch of ArcView 1.0, Esri's inaugural Windows-based desktop GIS application, which prioritized accessibility and user-friendly mapping for non-experts by providing intuitive tools for data visualization, querying, and basic analysis without requiring command-line expertise. This product democratized GIS, allowing broader adoption in fields like environmental monitoring and business intelligence. By 1996, ArcView 3.0 enhanced these capabilities with the Avenue scripting language, enabling users to customize interfaces, automate workflows, and extend functionality through simple, object-oriented scripts that interacted with maps, tables, and themes. The culmination of these developments occurred in 1999 with the release of ArcGIS 8.0, which unified ArcView, , and the emerging ArcIMS server into a cohesive branded suite, introducing the geodatabase as an object-oriented to support advanced relationships, behaviors, and rules for spatial datasets. This version pioneered multi-user editing through versioning in enterprise geodatabases, allowing concurrent modifications without data conflicts, and incorporated 3D visualization via ArcScene, enabling perspective views and interactions with layered geographic data for applications in and . These innovations established ArcGIS as a scalable platform, transitioning 's offerings from standalone tools to an integrated .

ArcGIS 8.x to 9.x Releases

ArcGIS Desktop 8.1, released in April 2001, marked the first full implementation of Esri's unified GIS architecture, introducing core applications that became staples for desktop users. This version launched as the primary interface for 2D ping and visualization, enabling users to create, edit, and analyze maps with support for on-the-fly projections and data integration from map services. ArcCatalog provided a centralized tool for browsing, searching, and managing geographic data across formats like shapefiles and geodatabases, while ArcToolbox offered a modular geoprocessing environment for tasks such as buffering and overlay analysis. The software was structured around three tiered product levels to accommodate varying user needs and budgets: Basic (formerly ArcView), which focused on viewing, querying, and light mapping; Standard (ArcEditor), which added advanced editing capabilities for geodatabases and vector data; and (ArcInfo), which included full geoprocessing, tools, and legacy ArcInfo Workstation integration for comprehensive analysis and data maintenance. Licensing options included single-use for standalone installations (limited to Basic level) and concurrent network licensing for all levels, requiring an annual maintenance agreement. Subsequent updates in versions 8.2 () and 8.3 () refined desktop functionality with a focus on and specialized analysis. ArcGIS 8.2 enhanced geodatabase performance through improved rules and shared editing support, while introducing extensions like ArcGIS Publisher for map dissemination. Version 8.3 further strengthened geodatabase compatibility, adding robust support for multiuser editing and ensuring where possible, alongside complete tools for to manage routes and events on linear features like roads and pipelines. Network Analyst extension was bolstered in these releases, providing , service area, and closest facility tools for transportation and logistics applications. The transition to ArcGIS 9.0 in 2004 expanded the platform beyond desktop with the introduction of ArcGIS Server, enabling web-based mapping and through services that allowed remote access to GIS resources without client software installation. This release also improved the 3D Analyst extension with ArcGlobe for global-scale 3D visualization and terrain modeling, and enhanced Spatial Analyst tools, adding over 200 functions for raster-based surface analysis, suitability modeling, and hydrological processing. Geoprocessing workflows were streamlined via ModelBuilder, supporting visual scripting for repeatable tasks across all license levels. Releases from 9.1 (2005) to 9.3 (2007) emphasized and extensibility, with significant advancements in cartographic production. ArcGIS 9.3 introduced advanced labeling for contours and ladders, along with 100 new picture symbols and improved representation rules for high-quality map outputs. Python scripting integration debuted in 9.2, allowing users to automate geoprocessing scripts via the ArcPy module precursor, enhancing customization and batch operations. Mobile GIS support emerged through ArcGIS Mobile in 9.3, providing field data collection and synchronization capabilities integrated with ArcGIS Server for offline and real-time workflows. A notable application during this era was the U.S. Census Bureau's adoption of for visualizing 2000 Census data, where developed geodatabase models and topology rules to process and demographic datasets at national scales.

ArcGIS 10.x and Transitional Period

The 10.0 release, launched on June 29, 2010, marked a significant evolution in 's GIS platform by introducing 64-bit background geoprocessing capabilities, enabling the handling of large datasets that exceeded the limitations of 32-bit processing. This feature allowed users to leverage available system RAM for complex geoprocessing tasks, improving performance for data-intensive workflows without crashing or memory constraints. Additionally, the desktop interface underwent a redesign inspired by the , incorporating tabbed toolbars in applications like ArcCatalog to streamline access to commands and enhance user productivity. Concurrently, Server was rebranded as for Server, emphasizing its role in delivering GIS services over the web and integrating with cloud environments like for scalable deployments. Subsequent updates from ArcGIS 10.1 (2011) to 10.3 (2013) built on this foundation with enhanced support for time-enabled layers, allowing users to visualize and analyze temporal data through integrated time sliders and animation in maps. These releases also introduced prototypes for story maps, enabling the creation of narrative-driven web applications that combined interactive maps with multimedia content, first appearing in beta form around the 10.2 update in 2013. Raster analysis tools saw notable improvements, including advanced processing for multidimensional imagery and on-the-fly mosaicking, which facilitated faster handling of and aerial data in geoprocessing workflows. A pivotal development during this period was the formal introduction of ArcGIS Online in 2012, evolving from the ArcGIS.com beta launched in 2010 into a comprehensive cloud-based platform for sharing maps, apps, and data collaboratively. This shift emphasized , allowing users to publish and consume services directly from the browser without heavy desktop reliance. The 10.x series represented a transitional phase, bridging desktop-centric GIS toward and web integration, while foreshadowing the decline of 's dominance. remained a 32-bit application throughout, with version 10.8 (released in 2020) serving as the final release supporting this architecture before mandated 64-bit-only environments in subsequent products like . This transition posed challenges for users with legacy hardware or workflows, requiring upgrades to handle growing data volumes and modern OS compatibility. ArcGIS 10.x gained widespread adoption in real-world applications, notably during the 2012 disaster response, where real-time web mapping via ArcGIS Online enabled emergency managers to track storm impacts, share situational awareness layers, and coordinate relief efforts across affected regions.

Modern Developments (2015–2025)

In 2015, launched 1.0 as a 64-bit successor to , introducing a modern ribbon-based interface for streamlined access to tools and enhanced support for both 2D and 3D visualization and analysis. This release marked a pivotal shift toward a unified desktop environment, with Python 3.4 integration enabling advanced scripting and automation for geospatial workflows. 's design emphasized performance improvements through 64-bit architecture, allowing users to handle larger datasets and complex projects more efficiently than previous versions. From 2016 to 2020, ArcGIS Enterprise releases 10.4 through 10.8 enhanced Portal for ArcGIS, providing on-premises organizations with cloud-like capabilities for content sharing, collaboration, and deployment. These updates included improved security features, such as read-only site modes, and expanded support for vector tile packages and custom widgets, enabling seamless integration of spatial data across enterprise environments. The 2.x series, spanning 2018 to 2020, deepened integration with ArcGIS Online for direct access to cloud-based data and services, facilitating hybrid workflows between desktop and web platforms. Key additions included ArcGIS Indoors for indoor mapping and , supporting floor-aware data models for and in buildings. Similarly, ArcGIS Urban was introduced to enable 3D planning simulations, allowing urban planners to model scenarios for , density, and environmental impact using scenario-based tools. ArcGIS Enterprise evolved further in versions 11.0 to 11.5 from 2021 to May 2025, incorporating support for scalable, containerized deployments that improved resilience and management of distributed GIS infrastructure. AI workflows were advanced through ArcGIS GeoAI, which integrated models for tasks like and directly into enterprise geoprocessing. Living Atlas content saw regular updates, with the 2025.2 release in October 2025 adding expanded datasets for global imagery, demographics, and environmental layers to support real-time decision-making. The ArcGIS Pro 3.x series, from 2023 to 2025, focused on productivity enhancements, with the 3.5 release in May 2025 introducing advanced COGO (Coordinate Geometry) tools for precise parcel editing and extraction from scanned deeds using OCR technology. It also improved portal collaboration features, allowing teams to share projects and datasets across organizations more intuitively. A stability-focused patch, 3.5.4, followed in October 2025, addressing performance issues in rendering and geoprocessing. ArcGIS Pro 3.6, released on November 13, 2025, introduced further AI integration for parcel management, including automated fabric creation and error detection using machine learning, along with enhancements to ModelBuilder and overall performance. Throughout 2025, ArcGIS saw targeted innovations, including AI assistants for Arcade scripting introduced in June, which generate expressions from prompts to simplify customization in maps and apps. Animated symbols debuted in Map Viewer during the spring update, enabling dynamic visualizations like pulsing points or rotating icons to highlight temporal or thematic data. Experience Builder received significant updates in October, adding new widgets for login functionality and image collections, alongside enhanced themes and page visibility controls for more flexible web app development.

Products and Components

ArcGIS Desktop and

ArcGIS Desktop, spanning versions 8.x through 10.x, served as 's primary desktop (GIS) software suite for over two decades, enabling users to manage, analyze, and visualize spatial data on local machines. The suite comprised several integrated applications, including for creating and editing 2D maps, ArcCatalog for organizing geographic data and managing metadata, and ArcScene for exploring datasets in three dimensions. These components allowed professionals to perform standalone GIS tasks without reliance on network connectivity, supporting workflows from basic data viewing to advanced cartographic production. However, ArcGIS Desktop reached its final release with version 10.8.1, and announced its full retirement on March 1, 2026, marking the end of all support, including security updates and technical assistance. As the successor to ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Pro represents a modernized, unified desktop GIS application introduced in 2015 with version 1.0, consolidating 2D mapping, 3D visualization, and charting into a single 64-bit interface. Unlike the modular structure of its predecessor, ArcGIS Pro employs project-based workflows, where users organize maps, scenes, layouts, and data connections within reusable .aprx project files, facilitating efficient management of complex analyses and multi-threaded processing for faster performance. It supports extensibility through add-ins developed with the ArcGIS Pro SDK for .NET, allowing customization of tools and user interfaces, and enables multi-user editing via versioned enterprise geodatabases, where multiple editors can reconcile changes without conflicts. ArcGIS Pro is available in three licensing levels—Basic, Standard, and Advanced—each building on the previous to unlock progressively more capabilities, such as advanced geoprocessing and automation tools in higher tiers. Users can further extend functionality with optional extensions, including the 3D Analyst for surface modeling and volumetric analysis, and the Network Analyst for routing and service area computations along transportation networks. These levels and extensions cater to diverse needs, from entry-level viewing in Basic to full enterprise-scale operations in Advanced. The November 2025 release of 3.6 introduced new geospatial (GeoAI) tools, expanded support for a variety of sensors and data sources, and in-app software announcements for a universal map . System requirements for ArcGIS Pro emphasize a 64-bit exclusively, with support for Home, Pro, and Enterprise (64-bit, September 2025 update or later), Standard and Datacenter (64-bit), and Windows Server 2025 Standard and Datacenter (64-bit), a minimum of 8 GB RAM (32 GB recommended), and a dedicated GPU with at least 4 GB VRAM for optimal and large dataset handling. Common use cases for both ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Pro include offline local , such as querying attribute and spatial relationships in vector or raster datasets, and custom production for reports or presentations, leveraging tools for symbology, labeling, and layout . Integration with Python scripting via the ArcPy module enhances , allowing users to execute geoprocessing workflows, manipulate programmatically, and integrate custom algorithms directly within the application environment.

ArcGIS Online and Cloud Services

ArcGIS Online is a cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform developed by that enables users to create, share, and collaborate on interactive maps, applications, and geospatial data without requiring local installations. Launched in June 2012, it serves as a hosted service for managing geographic content, supporting workflows from to visualization and in a collaborative environment. The platform emphasizes real-time sharing and scalability, allowing organizations to extend GIS capabilities to web and mobile users globally. Access to ArcGIS Online is structured through user types that define capabilities and permissions, with core types including Viewer for basic map consumption, Creator for building and editing content, and advanced options like for deeper analysis. These user types were updated in June 2025 to enhance flexibility, incorporating expanded access to tools such as ArcGIS Business Analyst Web App for Creator users and above, enabling broader team participation in geospatial projects. This update streamlines licensing and supports progressive capability growth as organizational needs evolve. Key applications within ArcGIS Online include the modern Map Viewer, which emerged from beta and is succeeding the legacy Map Viewer Classic (retired in Q1 2026), and introduced animated symbols in February 2025 for dynamic visualizations like flow or temporal data representation. StoryMaps facilitates narrative-driven by integrating maps, , and text to engage audiences on topics ranging from environmental changes to . Dashboards provide real-time monitoring tools, with the February 2025 release adding dual-axis charts to overlay multiple metrics, such as alongside economic indicators, for more insightful data comparisons. The 2025 updates introduced AI assistants to enhance productivity, debuting in preview in June and expanding to support Arcade scripting in October, allowing users to generate expressions for labeling, pop-ups, and calculations via prompts. ModelBuilder workflows were streamlined in the June and October releases, enabling drag-and-drop model creation for geoprocessing tasks directly in the browser, reducing the need for desktop tools. Additionally, ArcGIS Data Pipelines advanced extract, transform, and load (ETL) processes, with June enhancements adding support for secured URLs and as input sources. ArcGIS Online integrates seamlessly with ArcGIS Living Atlas, Esri's curated repository of global basemaps, demographic data, and ready-to-use layers that provide contextual foundation for custom analyses. This integration allows users to overlay organizational data on authoritative content, such as high-resolution or socioeconomic datasets, to derive insights efficiently. The October 2025 release of Living Atlas content version 2025.2 added over 200 updated community layers and enhanced 3D basemaps, ensuring timely and accurate global coverage. Pricing for ArcGIS Online follows a subscription model based on user types, starting at annual fees per user for Viewer ($100) up to Creator ($700), with at $2,200, scalability for enterprises through named user licensing that supports unlimited content storage and credits for premium services like geocoding. A free public tier offers basic access for non-organizational users to view and interact with shared content, while a 21-day provides full functionality evaluation, making it accessible for small teams or individual explorers before committing to paid plans. This structure ensures cost-effective growth, with pay-as-you-go options for usage beyond free tiers in developer scenarios.

ArcGIS Enterprise and On-Premises Solutions

ArcGIS Enterprise, formerly known as ArcGIS Server, is a comprehensive solution designed for organizations to deploy and manage GIS capabilities within private networks or self-hosted environments. It consists of four core components: Portal for ArcGIS, which serves as the collaborative hub for sharing and accessing GIS content; ArcGIS Server, the foundational engine for hosting GIS services; ArcGIS Data Store, which manages relational, big data, and tile cache storage; and ArcGIS Web Adaptor, which enables secure integration with web servers. These components work together to provide a scalable platform for web-based mapping, , and without relying on public cloud services. Deployment options for ArcGIS Enterprise include traditional installations on Windows or operating systems, as well as containerized setups using Docker and , with Kubernetes support introduced in version 10.9 and enhanced in subsequent releases starting from 11.0. System requirements were updated in April 2025 to include support for Standard and Datacenter editions with the April 2025 security update, alongside continued compatibility with and distributions such as 8 and 9. Organizations can deploy a base configuration on a single machine for smaller setups or scale to multi-machine federated architectures for and load balancing. The 11.5 release of ArcGIS Enterprise, launched on May 22, 2025, introduced stability enhancements, improved functionality across components, and incorporated features from recent ArcGIS Online updates, such as advancements in ArcGIS Experience Builder and Map Viewer. This version includes enhanced security patches released in April 2025, addressing vulnerabilities and ensuring compliance with enterprise standards for data protection. Key features encompass federated server architectures, allowing multiple ArcGIS Server sites to integrate seamlessly with the portal for distributed processing; geoprocessing services that enable server-side execution of spatial analyses and custom tools; and offline access capabilities for disconnected environments through cached services and mobile synchronization. Additionally, the 2025.2 update in October 2025 added support for syncing content with ArcGIS Living Atlas, facilitating the integration of authoritative basemaps and reference layers into on-premises deployments. ArcGIS Enterprise supports secure enterprise GIS implementations, such as hosting sensitive geospatial data behind firewalls for or sectors, and enables the development of custom web applications using APIs for tailored user experiences. Upgrading from 10.x versions to 11.5 involves a direct path with prerequisites like backing up configurations and verifying hardware compatibility, ensuring continuity for legacy deployments while adopting modern features. In contrast to Esri-hosted cloud services like ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise provides full control over and customization in on-premises or private cloud setups. The lifecycle for ArcGIS Enterprise 11.5 designates general availability from May 22, 2025, to May 31, 2027, followed by extended support until May 31, 2029, with ongoing security patches throughout. Previews of version 12.0 indicate planned changes for 2026 and beyond, including further deprecations of legacy tools like Web AppBuilder to streamline toward unified app-building experiences.

Specialized Products and Extensions

ArcGIS Urban, launched in July 2019, is a web-based 3D planning application designed for urban modeling, analysis, and land-use evaluation. It enables planners to create and visualize development scenarios, assess regulatory compliance, and collaborate on projects through integration with and ArcGIS Online, supporting features like 3D visualizations and urban analytics for impact assessment. ArcGIS Indoors, introduced in early 2019 following Esri's acquisition of indoo.rs technology, focuses on indoor mapping and for . This solution supports (BIM) integration, allowing organizations to create interactive indoor GIS layers for , space utilization, and operational efficiency in complex environments like offices, hospitals, and campuses. ArcGIS Reality, released in February 2023, provides tools to generate 3D models from drone imagery, aerial photos, and satellite data. It facilitates the creation of digital twins for site-scale to city-wide applications, with capabilities for automated processing, textured , and integration into broader ArcGIS workflows for enhanced capture. Key extensions expand core ArcGIS functionality for specialized analyses. The ArcGIS Spatial Analyst extension offers raster-based operations for terrain modeling, suitability analysis, and hydrological simulations, enabling advanced spatial modeling on both raster and vector data. ArcGIS Network Analyst supports , service area delineation, and problems by modeling transportation networks for and studies. ArcGIS aids in , , and territory design through demographic data integration and trade area analytics. In 2025, ArcGIS introduced AI enhancements in imagery processing via GeoAI tools in ArcGIS Pro, improving automated feature extraction, change detection, and hyperspectral analysis for more efficient remote sensing workflows. ArcGIS Velocity serves as a real-time IoT analytics extension, ingesting sensor data streams for visualization, geofencing, and big data processing to support dynamic event response. The ArcGIS Solutions library's July 2025 release included updated apps for emergency debris management, streamlining post-disaster assessment, volume estimation, and removal tracking. Additionally, StreetMap Premium 2025 updates enhanced mobile navigation with improved geocoding, routing support in mobile map packages, and quarterly locator refinements for offline use.

Core Functionality

Data Formats and Management

ArcGIS supports a wide range of formats to facilitate the storage, , and of geographic , serving as the foundational input for mapping and operations. These formats encompass vector for representing discrete features such as points, lines, and polygons, as well as raster for continuous surfaces like and models. The geodatabase stands as the central structure, enabling advanced modeling and multi-user collaboration. The geodatabase is an object-oriented that represents geographic features and attributes as objects with properties, behaviors, and relationships. It includes three primary types: file geodatabases for single-user storage on local disks, enterprise geodatabases for multi-user editing in management systems like SQL Server or , and mobile geodatabases based on for portable, cross-platform use. Key features of the geodatabase model include topologies for maintaining spatial relationships among features, supporting approximately 30 distinct rules (such as must not overlap or must be covered by) that vary by feature type (points, lines, polygons), with tools for validation and error correction that may require manual intervention for complex fixes; domains to enforce valid attribute values, and subtypes to categorize features with specialized behaviors and default values. Beyond the geodatabase, ArcGIS natively supports common vector formats such as Shapefiles for storing feature geometry and attributes in multiple files, for web-friendly JSON-based exchange of geographic data, and KML for displaying geographic features in applications like . For raster data, supported formats include TIFF for tagged image files with georeferencing, for compressed imagery suitable for visualization, and the legacy format for proprietary raster storage. also supports Cloud Optimized (COG) for efficient access to large raster datasets in cloud environments. These formats allow seamless integration of external datasets into ArcGIS workflows. Data management in ArcGIS relies on tools like the Catalog pane in (succeeding ArcCatalog in ArcGIS Desktop) for browsing datasets, editing metadata to describe content and lineage, implementing versioning to track edits in enterprise geodatabases, and replication to synchronize data across multiple geodatabases for distributed workflows. Address locators enhance data management by supporting geocoding, with the Composite locator aggregating multiple individual locators for comprehensive matching against diverse address sources, and the tailored for postal data including ZIP+4 codes. These elements collectively ensure that geographic data serves as a robust prerequisite for subsequent mapping and processes.

Mapping and Visualization Tools

ArcGIS provides a suite of tools for creating, styling, and interacting with in both 2D and 3D environments, primarily through and its web counterparts. These tools enable users to organize geographic data into layers, apply symbology for visual representation, and generate professional outputs for various platforms. In , mapping begins with adding feature layers to a view, where users can control visibility, order, and properties such as transparency and scale dependency. Symbology options in ArcGIS Pro allow for diverse visual encodings, including single symbols for categorical data, graduated colors for quantitative attributes, and charts like pie or bar representations embedded within features. For instance, graduated colors can represent by varying hues or intensities across polygons, while chart symbologies display multivariate data such as results through proportional symbols. These capabilities support thematic mapping by drawing from extensive style galleries or custom definitions. Labeling tools in and Map Viewer facilitate the placement of text annotations on features, with options for dynamic expressions using Arcade scripting to format content based on attributes. Users can adjust font, size, halo effects, and placement rules to avoid overlaps, ensuring readability. For 3D visualization, 's 3D scene view replaces the legacy ArcScene application, offering integrated tools like orbiting, panning, and zooming with or keyboard controls. applies height values from attributes to 2D features, creating volumetric representations such as building heights from floor count data, with options for absolute or relative elevation. Scene Viewer, the web-based 3D counterpart, includes the Building Explorer tool for interactive filtering and querying of extruded structures in urban scenes. in Scene Viewer supports immersive modes, such as first-person walkthroughs, to explore terrain and integrated reality models. Web-based mapping leverages Map Viewer for interactive 2D and 3D web maps, where layers from ArcGIS Online can be styled similarly to Pro, with added support for time-enabled animations and basemap integration. ArcGIS Experience Builder streamlines app creation by providing drag-and-drop widgets for embedding maps, charts, and lists into responsive web experiences. Cartographic outputs in utilize layout views to compose maps with elements like legends, north arrows, and scale bars, exporting to formats such as PDF for print quality or for scalable web use. Map Viewer supports animated symbols, configurable with properties like pulsing colors or rotating markers to depict dynamic phenomena, such as , enhancing in exported animations. On mobile devices, ArcGIS Field Maps supports offline mapping by downloading predefined map areas, including layers, symbology, and basemaps, for use in disconnected environments like fieldwork. Once offline, users can view, measure, and annotate maps with preserved styling, syncing changes upon reconnection to maintain .

Spatial Analysis and Geoprocessing

Geoprocessing in ArcGIS encompasses a suite of tools for manipulating and analyzing geographic data, enabling users to perform operations such as buffering features to create zones of proximity, overlaying datasets to combine attributes and geometries, and clipping data to extract specific areas of interest. These tools are accessed primarily through the ArcToolbox interface, which organizes hundreds of functions into categorized toolsets for , , and conversion. ModelBuilder, a visual programming environment within ArcGIS, allows users to chain these tools into workflows, automating repetitive tasks and facilitating complex model creation; ModelBuilder is available in with emerging integration for ArcGIS Online workflows. The Spatial Analyst extension provides advanced raster-based analysis capabilities, including functions for surface modeling and . Key raster functions encompass hillshade, which simulates illumination on a to highlight features, and , which computes the concentration of point features per unit area using kernel or methods. Suitability modeling leverages overlay tools to weight and combine multiple raster layers, identifying optimal locations for applications like by applying algebraic expressions to criteria such as and proximity. Network Analyst supports transportation and logistics analysis by solving optimization problems on networked data. It includes route optimization for vehicle routing problems, generating efficient paths that minimize travel time or distance while respecting constraints like capacity and time windows. Service area generation delineates reachable regions from facilities within specified impedances, aiding in coverage assessment, while the closest facility solver identifies the nearest service point to incident locations, incorporating factors like barriers and hierarchies. The 3D Analyst extension enables volumetric and surface analysis for multidimensional data. Viewshed analysis determines visible areas from observer points on elevation surfaces, accounting for obstructions to support applications in line-of-sight planning. Slope derivation computes the rate of maximum descent from raster or (TIN) surfaces, essential for terrain evaluation. In the 3.5 beta as of 2025, 3D analysis tools include AI-assisted workflows via the Pro Assistant for custom actions. For handling large-scale datasets, ArcGIS GeoAnalytics provides distributed processing capabilities, leveraging for parallel computation across clusters. It supports spatiotemporal analysis on stored in Hadoop or cloud environments, enabling tasks like aggregation, enrichment, and pattern detection without subsampling. A representative example of is hot spot detection using the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic, implemented in the Hot Spot Analysis tool. This method identifies statistically significant clusters of high or low values by computing a z-score for each feature based on its value and those of neighboring features, weighted by spatial relationships such as inverse distance or fixed distance bands. The Gi* statistic is given by: Gi∗=∑j=1nwi,jxj−Xˉ∑j=1nwi,jSn∑j=1nwi,j2−(∑j=1nwi,j)2n−1G_i^* = \frac{\sum_{j=1}^n w_{i,j} x_j - \bar{X} \sum_{j=1}^n w_{i,j}}{S \sqrt{\frac{n \sum_{j=1}^n w_{i,j}^2 - \left( \sum_{j=1}^n w_{i,j} \right)^2}{n-1}}}
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