GeoTools
Encyclopedia
GeoTools is a free software
(LGPL) GIS toolkit for developing standards compliant solutions.
It provides an implementation of Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC
) specifications as they are developed. GeoTools is a contributor of the GeoAPI project
- a vendor-neutral set of Java interfaces derived from OGC specifications - and implements a subset of those.
It is written in Java
and currently is under active development. It is used by GeoServer
, uDig
, Geopublisher, 52N, Geomajas
and many proprietary projects.
GeoTools 2 began in 2002. It was a rewrite from scratch with contributions by an international group of developers. The code base has been fundamentally redesigned to take advantage of the latest Java platform and to follow OGC specifications.
GeoTools since GeoTools 1 is no longer maintained, the "2" in "GeoTools 2" was dropped in 2007 and the project name became GeoTools. The version number followed suite in 2011 with the scheduled release of "GeoTools" version 8.
The GeoTools library forms a stack for the core modules; with additional plugins available to support additional formats, extensions and integration options.
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
(LGPL) GIS toolkit for developing standards compliant solutions.
It provides an implementation of Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC
Open Geospatial Consortium
The Open Geospatial Consortium , an international voluntary consensus standards organization, originated in 1994. In the OGC, more than 400 commercial, governmental, nonprofit and research organizations worldwide collaborate in a consensus process encouraging development and implementation of open...
) specifications as they are developed. GeoTools is a contributor of the GeoAPI project
GeoAPI
GeoAPI is a free software providing a set of Java interfaces for GIS applications. GeoAPI interfaces are derived from the abstract model and concrete specifications published collaboratively by the International Organization for Standardization in its 19100 series of documents and the Open...
- a vendor-neutral set of Java interfaces derived from OGC specifications - and implements a subset of those.
It is written in Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
and currently is under active development. It is used by GeoServer
GeoServer
In computing, GeoServer - an open-source server written in Java - allows users to share and edit geospatial data. Designed for interoperability, it publishes data from any major spatial data source using open standards...
, uDig
UDig
uDig is a GIS software program produced by a community led by Canadian-based consulting company Refractions Research. It is based on the Eclipse platform and features full layered Open Source GIS...
, Geopublisher, 52N, Geomajas
Geomajas
Geomajas is an open source GIS framework for the web. It allows aggregation and transformation of GIS data sources and has components for Web mapping. It was written in Java building on the Spring Framework, JTS Topology Suite, GeoTools, Hibernate spatial, GWT...
and many proprietary projects.
History
GeoTools 1 began in 1996 at the University of Leeds as part of a Masters project. It aimed to provide a toolkit of resources to enable the creation of interactive geographic visualization clients. GeoTools 1 was built using the Java 1.1 environment to enable the execution of applets on a wide range of clients without the need for a plug in. It was developed in a rather ad-hoc manner, with new features being added as needed. GeoTools 1 was not built with any standards in mind.GeoTools 2 began in 2002. It was a rewrite from scratch with contributions by an international group of developers. The code base has been fundamentally redesigned to take advantage of the latest Java platform and to follow OGC specifications.
GeoTools since GeoTools 1 is no longer maintained, the "2" in "GeoTools 2" was dropped in 2007 and the project name became GeoTools. The version number followed suite in 2011 with the scheduled release of "GeoTools" version 8.
Disambiguation
Geotools and GeotoolsMT are also the copyrighted names of a suite of American written and owned software specifically for processing and displaying magnetotelluric data (MT data). This software dates from the late 1980s and is still actively sold by its parent company AOA Geophysics Inc. which is itself now a part of Fugro Geoconsulting Inc. Geotools is currently being updated and will be relaunched early in 2012 as Geotools MT.Core Features
GeoTools library supports the following core features.- interfaces for spatial concepts and data structures
- JTS Topology SuiteJTS Topology SuiteThe JTS Topology Suite is an open source Java software library that provides an object model for Euclidean planar linear geometry together with a set of fundamental geometric functions. JTS is primarily intended to be used as a core component of vector-based geomatics software such as...
Geometry - Attribute, Spatial and Temporal filters matching the OGC Filter specification
- Data access for feature support (transaction based with optional locking).
- spatial referencing (with coordinate reference system and coordinate transformation)
- rendering with full styler layer descriptor support
- set of swing components
- custom XML parser and encoding technology (with bindings for manyGML, Filter, KML, SLD, and SE and other OGC standards)
The GeoTools library forms a stack for the core modules; with additional plugins available to support additional formats, extensions and integration options.
See also
- GeoServerGeoServerIn computing, GeoServer - an open-source server written in Java - allows users to share and edit geospatial data. Designed for interoperability, it publishes data from any major spatial data source using open standards...
- GIServer
- uDigUDiguDig is a GIS software program produced by a community led by Canadian-based consulting company Refractions Research. It is based on the Eclipse platform and features full layered Open Source GIS...
- Open Source Geospatial FoundationOpen Source Geospatial FoundationThe Open Source Geospatial Foundation , is a non-profit non-governmental organization whose mission is to support and promote the collaborative development of open geospatial technologies and data. The foundation was formed in February 2006 to provide financial, organizational and legal support to...
- Open Geospatial ConsortiumOpen Geospatial ConsortiumThe Open Geospatial Consortium , an international voluntary consensus standards organization, originated in 1994. In the OGC, more than 400 commercial, governmental, nonprofit and research organizations worldwide collaborate in a consensus process encouraging development and implementation of open...
– a standards organization - MagnetotelluricsMagnetotelluricsMagnetotellurics is an electromagnetic geophysical method of imaging the earth's subsurface by measuring natural variations of electrical and magnetic fields at the Earth's surface. Investigation depth ranges from 300m below ground by recording higher frequencies down to 10,000m or deeper with...