All Topics
Computer programming and development are critical to the past, present, and future of geospatial systems and techniques. The increasing ubiquity and diversity of online, mobile, and desktop GIS platforms along with the inclusion of cyber-infrastructure components within the bounds of geographic information systems (e.g., supercomputing, wireless sensor networks) means that GIS researchers and professionals need to be fluent in multiple forms of programming, and the life-cycles of system and software development.
Topics in this Knowledge Area are listed thematically below. Existing topics are in regular font and linked directly to their original entries (published in 2006; these contain only Learning Objectives). Entries that have been updated and expanded are in bold. Forthcoming, future topics are italicized.
Algorithm Design/Algorithmic Approaches | Programming Languages & Libraries |
Real-time GIS Programming and Geocomputation | Python for GIS |
Natural Language Processing in GIScience Applications | PySAL and Spatial Statistics Libraries |
Machine Learning Programming for GIS | R for Geospatial Analysis & Mapping |
Linear Programming and GIS | Javascript for GIS |
GIS and Parallel Programming | SQL Languages for GIS |
Object-oriented Programming in GIS Applications | GDAL/OGR and IO Libraries |
Application Development | |
Development Tools | Design, Development, Testing, and Deployment of GIS Applications |
Visual Programming for GIS Applications | Verification & Validation of GIS Applications |
SpatialMPI: Message Passage Interface for GIS Applications | Commercialization of GIS Applications |
GIS APIs | Licensing of GIS Applications |
Open Source Software Development | |
Platform Specific Programming | |
GIS and GPU Programming | |
Programming of Mobile GIS Applications | |
Web GIS Programming |
PD-32 - JavaScript for GIS
JavaScript (which has no connection to the Java computer language) is a popular high-level programming languages used to develop user interfaces in web pages. The principle goal of using JavaScript for programming web and mobile GIS applications is to build front-end applications that make use of spatial data and GIS principles, and in many cases, have embedded, interactive maps. It is considered much easier to program than Java or C languages for adding automation, animation, and interactivity into web pages and applications. JavaScript uses the leading browsers as runtime environments (RTE) and thus benefits from rapid and continuously evolving browser support for all web and mobile applications.