ArcGIS Online
Cloud-based GIS platform for creating and sharing interactive maps and geospatial analysis
Open-Source Projects
Discover top open-source software, updated regularly with real-world adoption signals.
Discover top open-source software, updated regularly with real-world adoption signals.
Professional GIS platform for powerful spatial analysis and cartography
A full‑featured GIS offering flexible data handling, beautiful 2D/3D cartography, robust analysis tools, and a customizable server—all free and cross‑platform.
QGIS is a cross‑platform GIS application used by analysts, cartographers, and developers who need a comprehensive, cost‑free solution for spatial data work. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and can be containerized for server deployments.
The software supports raster, vector, mesh, and point‑cloud formats through a unified data model, offering on‑the‑fly reprojection and temporal handling. Its cartographic engine provides over 500 color ramps, advanced symbology, and 2D/3D rendering comparable to proprietary tools. With more than 200 native processing algorithms and access to thousands via GDAL, SAGA, GRASS, and custom scripts, QGIS enables sophisticated geoprocessing and model design. Extensibility is achieved through a rich Python and C++ API, a vibrant plugin ecosystem, and a fully customizable user interface.
QGIS Desktop can be installed from pre‑compiled binaries or built from source. QGIS Server delivers the same cartography via standard OGC services (WMS, WFS, WCS) and can run on any web server or within Docker containers, making it suitable for both on‑premise and cloud environments.
When teams consider QGIS, these hosted platforms usually appear on the same shortlist.
Looking for a hosted option? These are the services engineering teams benchmark against before choosing open source.
Environmental impact assessment
Combine satellite raster, vector habitats, and temporal data to model and visualize ecosystem changes
Urban planning with 3D city models
Import point‑cloud and mesh data, apply custom symbology, and generate printable 3D maps for stakeholder meetings
Automated map series production
Use QGIS Atlas to create batch PDFs of cadastral maps with consistent layout and labeling
Web map services for public portals
Deploy QGIS Server to serve WMS/WFS layers, delivering the same cartography as the desktop project
Yes, it is released under GPL v2+ which permits commercial use and modification.
QGIS runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and can be deployed in Docker containers.
Through Python plugins, C++ API, and the extensive community plugin repository.
It can consume live web services (WMS/WFS) and display temporal layers, though true streaming may require external tools.
Monthly point releases for Long‑Term and Latest Release branches, plus separate development/nightly builds.
Project at a glance
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