Spatial database

A spatial database, or geodatabase is a database that is optimized to store and query data that represents objects defined in a geometric space. Most spatial databases allow representing simple geometric objects such as points, lines and polygons. Some spatial databases handle more complex structures such as 3D objects, topological coverages, linear networks, and TINs. While typical databases are designed to manage various numeric and character types of data, additional functionality needs to be added for databases to process spatial data types efficiently. These are typically called geometry or feature. The Open Geospatial Consortium created the Simple Features specification and sets standards for adding spatial functionality to database systems.[1]

Features of spatial databases

Database systems use indexes to quickly look up values and the way that most databases index data is not optimal for spatial queries. Instead, spatial databases use a spatial index to speed up database operations.

In addition to typical SQL queries such as SELECT statements, spatial databases can perform a wide variety of spatial operations. The following operations and many more are specified by the Open Geospatial Consortium standard:

Some databases support only simplified or modified sets of these operations, especially in cases of NoSQL systems like MongoDB and CouchDB.

Spatial index

Spatial indices are used by spatial databases (databases which store information related to objects in space) to optimize spatial queries. Conventional index types do not efficiently handle spatial queries such as how far two points differ, or whether points fall within a spatial area of interest. Common spatial index methods include:

Spatial database systems

List

Table of free systems especially for spatial data processing

DBS License Distributed Spatial objects Spatial functions PostgreSQL interface UMN MapServer interface Documentation Modifiable HDFS
GeoMesa Apache License 2.0 yes yes (Simple Features) yes (JTS) no (manufacturable with GeoTools) no parts of the funcions, a few examples with Simple Feature Access in Java Virtual Machine and Apache Spark are all kinds of tasks solvable yes
ESRI GIS Tools for Hadoop Apache License 2.0 yes yes (own specific API) yes (union, difference, intersect, clip, cut, buffer, equals, within, contains, crosses, and touches) no no just briefly forking yes
Rasdaman server GPL, client LGPL, enterprise proprietary yes just raster raster manipulation with rasql yes with Web Coverage Service or Web Processing Service detailed wiki own defined function in enterprise edition no
PostgreSQL with PostGIS GNU General Public License no yes (Simple Features and raster) yes (Simple Feature Access and raster functions) yes yes detailed SQL, in connection with R no
Neo4J-spatial GNU affero general public license no yes (Simple Features) yes (contain, cover, covered by, cross, disjoint, intersect, intersect window, overlap, touch, within and within distance) no no just briefly fork of JTS no
Postgres-XL with PostGIS Mozilla public license and GNU general public license yes yes (Simple Features and raster) yes (Simple Feature Access and raster functions) yes yes PostGIS: yes, Postgres-XL: briefly SQL, in connection with R or Tcl or Python no
AsterixDB Apache License 2.0 yes yes (custom) center, radius, distance, area, intersect and cell no no good in Google Code own datatypes, functions and indexes possible
HadoopGIS GNU General Public License yes yes (custom, no raster) yes (contain, cover, covered by, cross, disjoint, intersect, overlap, within and nearest neighbor) no no just briefly forking yes
H2GIS GPL 3 no yes (custom, no raster) Simple Feature Access and custom functions for H2Network yes no yes (homepage) SQL no
Ingres GPL or proprietary yes (if extension is installed) yes (custom, no raster) Geometry Engine, Open Source no with MapScript just briefly with C and OME no

See also

References

Further reading

External links

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