Functionality
GeoDa
GRASS QGIS*
(Geographic (Quantum GIS)
Resources
GUI, interactive
exploratory spatial
data analysis and
Full GUI based Viewing, basic spatial
FOCUS GIS Editing regression
Introduction to
Spatial analysis GRASS- spatial analysis for
and scientific Graphical area (polygon)
Supported visualization
Windows, User Interface data; supplements
Windows, Windows, Linux,
Operating Linux, MacOSX Linux, MacOSX
License Free software Free software Free software
Data Reading - All GDAL All GDAL ESRI shapefile,
Import/Export Raster/Images supported supported ASCII
formats, also formats
voxel support
Reading - Vector Yes (through Yes (through Yes
OGR) OGR)
Reading tabular Yes (CSV + Yes Yes
data many more)
Reading - PostGIS, PostGIS No
Databases PostgreSQL,
Writing - All GDAL- no No
Raster/Images formats
Writing – Vector All OGR-formats All OGR- Yes (.shp)
formats
Writing tabular CSV no edited .dbf as part
data of .shp file
Writing - PostGIS (p, PostGIS no
Databases limited)
Vector Data Drawing and yes, also 3D yes Limited, e.g.
Creation and Editing tools vector support Thiessen polygon.
Editing (Points, Lines,
Polygons)
Geocoding no
usingStreet dataset
Geocoding by no
direct address
match
Selection/ Selection by yes yes
Subsetting attribute
(temporary subset)
Selection by yes yes
location
Selection by yes yes
graphic
Interactive yes yes
selection
Attribute Calculator yes, via SQL No yes
Q/A: Quality yes No no
Assurance Tools
Join tables yes yes (ftools yes
plugin)
Others Vector network re-computation of
analysis; Linear bivariate
referencing scatterplot and
System (LRS); Moran scatterplot
LiDAR data slopes for subsets
analysis of data
Printing yes yes yes
Queries yes Yes yes
Database yes yes no
Queries (SQL)
Styling / Mapping Point styles color, size, color, size, color
shape, fill shape, fill
pattern pattern
Line styles color, width color, width, N/A
pattern
Polygon styles color, outline, fill color, outline, color
fill, pattern
Text labeling Yes (simple Yes (simple no
labeling) labeling)
Thematic Charts Bar, Pie charts, Bar, Pie histogram, boxplot,
mapping Graduated charts bivariate
Symbol, Ranges (developed scatterplot, parallel
but not coordinate plot
included yet)
Classification equal range, equal range quantile, equal
interval, and quantiles range, percentile,
std_deviation, box map, unique
quartiles, value, natural
custom_breaks break
Vector based Interpolation IDW, Splines GRASS no
Spatial Analysis (2D and 3D functions via
Tools RST, B-Splines) GRASS Plugin
Spatial Statistics Link to R-stats yes (R plugin) Spatial lag and
error model
(Maximum
Likelihood),
Buffer yes GRASS no
functions via
GRASS Plugin
Join geometries yes no no
by attributes
aggregate /join yes GRASS no
attributes spatially functions via
GRASS Plugin
Clip / Create new yes no
dataset using a
polygon for extent
Append/add yes yes
datasets to
existing dataset
Spatial Correlation yes (via R no Local Indicators of
Analysis interface) Spatial
Association (LISA)
and global Moran's
I.
Other union (= spatial weights
dissolve), matrix creation
centroid
calculation
Multi-language Yes/no yes yes no
support
Languages AR , CS, DE, 26
EL, ES, FR, IT,
JA, PL, PT,
PT_BR, RU,
SL, TH, TR, VI,
ZH
Supported OGC WMS, WFS, WMS, WFS no
standards WPS (pyWPS)
Support of yes yes yes
different
Projections/
Coord.
Reference
Systems
Data Exploration Histograms yes yes histogram, boxplot,
Tools parallel coordinate
plot, conditional
classification yes GRASS maps, 3D
no
functions via
GRASS Plugin
Topology yes GRASS no
creation functions via
GRASS Plugin
On the fly topology yes under no
editing development
Triangulation yes no no
(planar)
Generalization Line simplification Yes, Douglas- GRASS no
tools Peucker Alg., functions via
Lang Alg., GRASS Plugin
Close Vertex
Elimination,
Reuman-
Witkam Alg.,
Boyle’s
Forward-
Looking
Algorithm.
others smoothing no
algroithms:
McMaster
Distance-
Weighting Alg.,
Chaiken’s Alg.,
Interpol. by
Cubic Hermite
splines; Snakes
for smoothing,
network gen. &
displacement
3D-Views yes GRASS 3D scatterplot
functions via
GRASS Plugin
DEM-Tools Terrain creation yes GRASS no
(TIN) functions via
GRASS Plugin
Terrain analysis yes GRASS no
(slope, aspect,..) functions via
GRASS Plugin
Viewsheds yes GRASS no
functions via
GRASS Plugin
other Curvatures, no
hydrology tools,
hydrologic
models,
topographic
index, etc.
Histogramming yes GRASS no no
functions via
GRASS Plugin
Image Analysis Geo-Referencing yes Geocoding of no
Tools scanned maps
Ortho-rectification yes no no
Filter operations yes GRASS no
functions via
GRASS Plugin
other Orthophoto no
creation,
segmentation,
pattern
analysis, time
series
Scripting Bash, Python, Python no
Functionality Perl
GRASS 6.4 QGIS 1.2 OpenGeoDa
Version 0.9.8.13
Desktop GIS
gvSIG Idrisi 16: SAGA (System
uDig* (Generalitat for Automated
Valenciana, Taiga Edition GeoScientific
(user-friendly Desktop GIS)
uDig JGrass
Raster DivaGIS
Viewing Analysis Complete Image
(OGC based Analyze and and raster Analysis,
standard on document potato replacing processing modelling,
s) GRASS genotypes ArcView package visualisation
Applicatio
n
Framewo
r
Windows, Windows, Windows, (focus on
Windows, raster)
Linux,
Free Linux,
Free Windows only Linux, MacOSX Windows only Linux, MacOSX
software software Free software Free software Proprietary Free software
Yes Yes Yes (Through ECW, MrSID, Tiff, GDal All GDAL
(1.1.0 is (through Geotools) JPEG,jpg, jp2, supported,ECW, supported
limited to GRASS TIF, geoTIFF, IMG, Grass, formats and
memory) and PNG, GIF, img, ERMapper, Envi, more
Geotools) bmp, jpeg2000
Yes Yes Yes Shp, DXF, Shp SHP and more
DGN, DWG,
GML
No CSV, DBF, DBF, TXT,
ODBC, CSV, ODBC
HSQLDB,
MySQL,
PostgreSQ,
Oracle
PostGIS, PostGIS, PostGIS, Oracle, PostGIS, Intended
Oracle, Oracle, DB2, ArcSDE HSQLDB,
yes yes yes GeoTIFF, ecw, Raster formats All GDAL
jpeg, jpeg2000 (Please specify) supported
formats and
Yes Yes Yes (Shape) Shp, dxf, GML Shp, SHP and more
(Shape) (Shape)
no no no DBF, TXT, CSV
PostGIS, PostGIS, Oracle, PostGIS, Postgis, Oracle Intended
Oracle, DB2, ArcSDE Oracle, Spatial
yes yes yes yes yes yes
no no no yes yes
yes yes yes Yes (lines) no
no no no yes yes
Various TIN creation,
vector and contour lines
raster from raster and
analysis more
tools
yes yes yes yes Yes
limited yes no attribute Intended
queries, spatial
queries
no no no Intended
Full SLD Full SLD Full SLD Color, size, Color, size,
complian compliance complianc shape, image shape, outline,
ce e fill style, image
Full SLD Full SLD Full SLD Color, width, Color, size, line
complian compliance complianc transparency style
ce e
Full SLD Full SLD Full SLD Color, outline, transparency Color, outline,
complian compliance complianc fill patterns, fill style
ce e transparency
Full SLD Full SLD Full SLD Yes (rotation, Yes
complian compliance complianc color, font,
ce e height)
no no no no Bar and pie
charts
Quantile, Quantile, equal no equal range, Graduated
equal interval, custom natural breaks, color/ symbol,
interval, quantiles lookup table
custom
no GRASS functions no yes (gvSIG + Triangulation,
Sextante) IDW, Shepard,
Spline, Kriging
no GRASS functions no Sum, mean, Geostatistical
variance... analyses
Yes with GRASS functions no yes no
Axios and Axios plugin
plugin
no no no yes no
no GRASS functions no yes no
no no no yes (gvSIG + Variogram
Sextante) modeling
Union, Union, split, no difference, intersection,
split, intersect, reproject intersect, union, merging,
intersect, convex hull, centroids and
reproject union more
(dissolve),
yes yes yes yes yes
EN, FR, EN, FR, IT, DE, ES EN, DE, EN, ES, VA, EN, DE
IT, DE, FR GL, CZ, DE,
ES EU, FR, IT, PT,
CN, PL, RO
yes yes yes yes yes
no no yes yes No
no GRASS functions yes yes (gvSIG + Yes
Sextante)
no no no Yes (lines) TIN
(lines and
polygons
intended)
no no no no No
no no no no Yes
In GRASS functions no yes (gvSIG + Yes
available Sextante)
plugins
---
no Yes, In development no no yes
no GRASS functions yes (gvSIG + yes
Sextante)
no GRASS functions yes (gvSIG + yes
Sextante)
no GRASS functions yes (gvSIG + yes
Sextante)
Numerous
morphometric
and hydrologic
terrain
parameters, pre-
processing,
profiles,
insolation and
more
GRASS functions yes yes no
no GRASS functions yes yes yes
no GRASS functions no yes yes
no GRASS functions yes yes yes
Cluster
analysis,
supervised
classification,
segmentation,
pattern
analysis,
vegetation
indices, time
series and more
Groovy BeanShell Jython Python,
command shell,
(other
languages
intended)
Version Version 1.1 Version 16 SAGA 2.0.2
1.1-RC12 (September
2007)
Desktop GIS
ILWIS KOSMO MapWindow
JUMP Family GIS
(Integrated
Land and
Water
Information
System)
JUMP OpenJU SkyJUM Pirol DeeJUM
MP P JUMP P Providing core
Editing & ArcView GIS and GUI
Editing & Editing & Editing & OGC substitute for functions,
Data Vector Vector standard (Raster) advanced developing
conflation Analysis Editing Analysis s Analysis users Decision
entries
Windows, Windows, Windows, Windows, Windows, incomplete Windows,
Linux,
Free Linux,
Free Linux,
Free Linux,
Free Linux,
Free Windows only Linux, Windows only
software software software software software Free software Free software Free software
jpg, tif, jpg, tif, jpg, jpg, tif, jpg, tif, uses GDAL ECW, All GDAL
geoTIFF, geoTIFF, MrSID geoTIFF, geoTIFF, MrSID, supported
png, png, png, png, geoTIFF, formats + BGD,
ecw(p) ecw(p), ecw(p), ecw(p), JPEG, jpg, and others.
MrSID(p) MrSID(p) MrSID(p) jpg2, TIF,
png, gif, img,
bmp,
Shp, Shp, Shp, Shp, Shp, At least: SHP, Shp, DXF, At least: SHP,
FME FME FME FME FME DXF DGN, DWG, DXF(P). CSV(P)
GML, GML, GML, GML, GML, CSV
JML, JML, JML, JML, JML,
WKT, WKT, WKT, WKT, WKT,
deegree
GML3,
deegree
shp
No CSV No CSV CSV ??? CSV, DBF, DBF, CSV(P),
MDB MDB(P)
PostGIS, PostGIS, PostGIS, PostGIS, PostGIS, no PostGIS, PostGIS(p)
Oracle(p) Oracle(p) Oracle(p) Oracle(p) Oracle(p) Oracle
jpg, png jpg, png jpg, png jpg, png, jpg, png uses GDAL jpg, png, tif, All GDAL
tif(p) gif, bmp supported
formats and
Shp, Shp, Shp, Shp, Shp, At least: SHP, Shp, Dxf, At least: SHP
FME FME FME FME FME DXF
GML, GML, GML, GML, GML,
JML, JML, JML, JML, JML,
WKT, WKT, WKT, WKT, WKT,
SVG SVG deegree
(without (without GML3,
attributes attributes deegree
) ) Shp,
SVG
(without
attributes
copy to copy to copy to copy to copy to ??? Excel copy to Excel
Excel Excel Excel Excel Excel table possible
table table table table table
possible possible possible possible possible
PostGIS PostGIS PostGIS PostGIS PostGIS no MySQL, PostGIS(p),
(p;limited (p;limited (p;limited (p;limited (p;limited Oracle, MDB(p)
yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
No Yes No Yes Yes ??? yes yes
(limited) (limited) (limited)
yes yes yes yes yes ??? yes no
No yes No yes No ??? yes no
--- Constrain Constrain Constrain --- ??? Topology Vector analysis
ed ed ed rules, (clip, buffer,
drawing drawing drawing constrained etc.) and raster
tools tools tools drawing tools analysis
through plug-
ins.
Yes(p) Yes(p) Yes(p) Yes(p) Yes(p) Yes Yes Yes
Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute ??? Attribute Attribute queries
queries, queries, queries, queries, queries, queries,
spatial spatial spatial spatial spatial spatial
queries queries queries queries queries queries
no No no no no no no no
(except
SIGLE)
Color, Color, Color, Color, Color, ??? Full SLD Color, size,
size, size, size, size, size, compliance shape, image
shape (p) shape (p) shape (p) shape (p) shape (p)
Color, Color, Color, Color, Color, ??? Full SLD Color, size, line
width width width width compliance style
width
color, color, color,color, color, ??? Full SLD Color, outline,
outline, outline, outline,
outline, outline, compliance fill patterns.
fill fill fill fill fill
patterns patterns patterns,
patterns patterns
transpare
ncy
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (simple) Full SLD Yes (simple)
(simple (simple (simple (simple (simple compliance
labeling) labeling) labeling) labeling) labeling)
Bar, pie Bar, pie Bar, pie Bar, pie, Bar, pie Bar, pie charts, no no
charts (p) charts (p) charts (p) line charts (p) point density
charts (p)
Equal Equal Equal Equal Equal ??? Equal range Equal range,
range range range range range continuous
ramps, custom-
defined
(SIGLE:
quantile)
no No no IDW, no Kriging and co- Point Some available
Krieging kriging interpolation through plug-ins
(p)
no no no Mean, no Geo-statistical no Basic raster
Variance, analyses statistics(p)
...
yes yes yes Yes yes ??? yes yes (p)
no yes ??? yes yes ??? yes yes (p)
no yes ??? yes yes ??? yes yes (p)
no no no Variogra no ??? no no
mm,
union (= union (= union (= Grid union (= ??? Merge, Union, merge,
dissolve), dissolve), dissolve), tools, dissolve), dissolve, centroid,
centroid centroid centroid centroid intersection, intersection,
calculatio calculatio calculatio calculatio difference, differences (p)
n, n, n, n, convex hull,
thiessen union (= thiessen
polygons dissolve), polygons
(limited), centroid (limited),
convex calculatio convex
hull n, hull
convex
hull
no yes no yes yes ??? yes yes
--- EN, Fi, --- EN, DE EN, Fi, ??? EN, ES, PT CS, DE, EL,
DE, FR, DE, FR, EN, ES, FA,
ES, P, IT ES, P, IT FR. IT, JP, NL,
PT, TH, ZH-
CHS/ZH-CN
WFS(p),
SLD,
yes(p) yes(p) UTM – yes (p, yes(p) yes yes yes
geo limited)
yes(p)
No No No yes (p) No ?yes? no No
No No No k-means No ??? no no
Yes: line Yes: Yes: line Yes: Yes: No Quality TIN creation
noder, Planar noder, Planar Planar controls, and viewing
polygoniz graph, polygoniz graph, graph, topology ability
er line er line line rules
No No No no No No no no
Yes(p) Yes(p) Yes(p) yes Yes(p) No no no
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ??? Yes Yes (Douglas
(Douglas (Douglas (Douglas (Douglas (Douglas (Douglas Peucker), via
Peucker) Peucker) Peucker) Peucker) Peucker) Peucker) plug-in (p)
--- Snakes --- Snakes Snakes ??? Some others
line line line via plug-ins
smoothin smoothin smoothin
g and g and g and
displace displace displace
ment (p), ment (p), ment (p),
building building building
generaliz generaliz generaliz
ation ation ation
tools (p), tools (p), tools (p),
no no no 2.5D no yes Under yes
model (p) development
no no no Delauney no ?No? Under TIN for API;
development TIN viewer/
triangulati creator (p)
on (p)
no no no under no ?Yes? Under Yes (p)
developm development
ent
no no no no no ?Yes? no
--- --- --- Contour --- ??? contour and
lines flowline
generation,
hillshade,
watershed
analysis
no no no no yes ImageJ no yes
integration
under
development
no no no no no yes under yes
development
no no no no no yes under Under
development development
no no no no no ?yes? under Under
development development
--- --- --- --- --- ??? ???
BeanShel BeanShel BeanShel BeanShel BeanShel ILWIS Scripting no C#, VB.Net
l l l l l Language
Version Version Release Version 3.4 Version 1.1 Version 4.5
1.2 1.2D 89 (July 2007) (June 2007) RC2 (April
since then open 2008)
sourcing,
before
shareware
ESRI ArcGIS ERDAS PCI Geomatica
Imagine ENVI
Full
Full remote- Full remote- remote-
Full GUI-based sensing sensing sensing
GIS system system system
Extensive data
creation, editing
and analysis
Windows only Windows only Windows only Windows & Mac
Proprietar
Proprietary Proprietary Proprietary y
ECW, MrSID,
JPEG,jpg, jp2,
TIF, geoTIFF,
PNG, GIF, img,
bmp,
cib,ers,img,raw,
Grid,RST,MrSID
SHP,DXF,DGN
multiple
geodatabases,
others
ArcSDE(p),Post
GIS, Oracle(p) ,
SHP,DXF,DGN
multiple
geodatabases,
others
DBF
PostGIS(p),
MDB(p)
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
Extensive
toolsets, some
requiring add-
ons
yes
Attribute
queries, spatial
queries
yes
Extensive
library plus
symbol creation
tools
Extensive
library plus
symbol creation
tools
color, outline,
fill patterns,
transparency
Bar, Pie charts,
Graduated
Symbol, Ranges
natural
breaks(Jenks)
equal range,
interval,
std_deviation,
quantiles,
Kriging and co-
kriging via add-
on
Geostatistical
analyses
yes, single and
multi-ring,
merging
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes, multiple
methods
Merge,
dissolve,
intersection,
difference,
convex hull,
yes
EN, ES, DE,
FR, ,JA, Others
WMS, WMC,
SLD, WFS,
WCS, Z39.50,
CS-W,
OpenLS, GML,
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
Yes (Douglas
Peucker)
yes, multiple
algorithms
yes
requires add-on
requires add-on
requires add-on
yes
no
yes
requires add-on
Python,
VBScript,Perl,
Javascript
Release 9.3.1