Software
Online mapping applications may be created using many types of server software and application development languages. This page provides basic information about software commonly used in online mapping for users wishing to build their own mapping sites.
ArcGIS Server
ArcGIS Server (AGS) was introduced when ESRI released ArcGIS 9.0 in 2005.
AGS is the next generation ArcIMS and is essentially the ArcGIS Desktop product running
in a server environment. Like ArcGIS Desktop, AGS supports many file formats,
produces high-quality cartography and runs geoprocessing models.
Almost anything you can do in a standard GIS can be accomplished with AGS.
However, very few of these features are enabled out of the box. Applications are
developed using .Net or Java languages and programming experience in ArcObjects
is needed to develop or modify applications. Although map display is usually slow,
AGS does provide an option to cache pre-rendered maps which dramatically increases
performance.
Visit ESRI's ArcGIS Server pages...
ArcIMS
Since 1999, ArcIMS has been ESRI's main Internet Map Server software.
It has recently been supplanted by ArcGIS Server.
Essentially, ArcIMS contains a GIS software component on the server that receives
requests from a web client (e.g., web browser), produces a map, and sends the map back to the
client (or browser) as a graphic image such as a JPG or GIF. ArcIMS
supports feature streaming and metadata services. It is in the middle of the pack as far as speed goes.
Applications are typically developed in HTML and JavaScript, .NET, Java, or Cold
Fusion. ArcIMS is ideal for displaying basic images, extracting data, and
serving metadata.
Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, Microsoft Live Search Maps
These products (along with a few similar products) are strictly for
web-based mapping client development. Their main focus is mapping and identifying
locations around the world, although significantly more data in the US.
Each has its own servers
creating and caching prepared maps that anyone can use. It is very easy to create
a web page using these maps in the background, and with their
corresponding map controls and your data clearly displayed in the foreground.
Functionality is limited compared
to the full-featured Internet Map Servers, such as the ESRI products above, but
application development is much simpler using a
JavaScript API (Application Program Interface). Data is usually better and more up-to-date
as well. Map display is also extremely fast.
Visit ... Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, Microsoft Live Search Maps
Google Earth, ArcGIS Explorer, NASA World Wind, Microsoft Virtual Earth
These applications are collectively known as "Virtual Earths."
They are not web-based (i.e., they do not return maps or images to a web browser), and
require a separate installation. These are included here because they are
free software packages that consume and display mapping services available on the Internet.
For example, ArcGIS Explorer supports all mapping services delivered by ArcIMS and ArcGIS
Server. Each of these products displays a 3D view of the Earth with integrated elevation model
and imagery. In some cases you can
add your own local data to the viewer. Customization is usually not necessary but may be
done for some products using .NET.
Visit ... Google Earth, ArcGIS Explorer, NASA World Wind, Microsoft Virtual Earth
Open-source GIS software
Open-source GIS software development has exploded in recent years. Many
projects began development in the 1990s and have reached a relatively mature phase.
User communities are also large and fairly active for the more common products.
These products are built using various anguages and technologies yet they all obey
the standards set forth by the Open Geospatial Consortium as well as other common formats.
They usually work well with other open-source projects for GIS
(e.g., uDIG, OSSIM, Quantum GIS) and databases (PostGIS).
Visit... OSGeo, OGC, FreeGIS.org, Refractions Research, Open Source GIS
There are many others. Most professional GIS companies have their own map server software with proprietary plugins for many programming languages. There are also many free map servers you can download and install. Or, you can build your own online mapping applications using almost any language that utilizes information from publicly available map servers, such as from Google, ESRI, Microsoft, NASA, and others.