Format Atlas

Guides

Checks before handing off GIS data

Agree on layers, coordinate reference systems, attributes and recipient software. Beyond choosing a format, verify positions and retained information after conversion.

Which format should you choose?

Choose by the role each file plays in your workflow.

  • Define the handoff requirements
  • Create a suitable copy
  • Compare in the recipient's software

Define the handoff requirements

Record layer names, geometry types, CRS, axis order and units. Check required attribute types, text encoding, Z values and extension support. Changing a CRS label is not a coordinate transformation.

Create a suitable copy

Consider GeoPackage for multiple layers or tiles, GeoJSON for readable feature exchange, or FlatGeobuf for a binary single layer. RFC 7946 GeoJSON uses WGS 84 longitude–latitude order; transform source coordinates where needed.

Compare in the recipient's software

Provide conversion settings and licensing terms. Compare layer and feature counts, attribute types, nulls, sample locations and extents with the source. Format conversion alone may not retain styles or proprietary extensions.

Formats to consider

GeoPackage

Good for: Bundling multiple layers or tiles

Less suitable for: Assuming unsupported extensions will work

GeoJSON

Good for: Inspecting features and attributes as text

Less suitable for: Passing projected coordinates as RFC 7946-compliant data

FlatGeobuf

Good for: Distributing one binary feature layer

Less suitable for: Storing multiple layers in one .fgb file

Before you export

  • Precise locations and attributes can expose sensitive personal or facility information. Check sharing scope and usage conditions.
  • Retain originals and record transformations and lost information. Matching checksums or feature counts alone does not prove positional correctness.

Related comparisons

FlatGeobuf vs GeoPackage: delivery and SQL managementFlatGeobuf is a binary feature collection; GeoPackage is a SQLite database for geographic data.Shapefile vs GeoPackage: file sets and attribute preservationShapefile is a multi-file layer; GeoPackage holds multiple kinds of geographic data in SQLite.GeoParquet vs GeoPackage: columnar analysis and GIS managementGeoParquet adds geographic conventions to Parquet; GeoPackage manages geographic data in SQLite.GML vs GeoJSON: schemas and coordinate systemsGML describes features using XML and application schemas. GeoJSON represents geometry and properties in JSON; this comparison uses the coordinate rules of RFC 7946.

Guides

Handing Off Point Clouds with LAS, LAZ and E57Point-cloud handoffs need coordinates, attributes, scan context and reader support, not just an extension. This is distinct from mesh or 3D-print workflows.Choosing a Data Exchange FormatStart with the receiving system's specification. Use JSON for structured API data, XML where an integration requires its schema, and CSV for a single table.Checks before handing off scientific arraysTransfer netCDF, HDF5 or Zarr arrays with their meaning, dependencies and reader requirements. Unlike choosing a table format, this requires checking dimensions and missing-value interpretation.

References and specifications