Gis what is a shapefile

GIS Lounge. The shapefile format is now a common format for storing vector GIS data. Shapefiles store non-topological vector data along with related attribute data. Developed by Esri, shapefiles are now an open format and is a popular option for data transfer.

Despite its name indicating a singular file, a shapefile is actually a collection of at least three basic files:. All three files must be present in the same directory for them to be viewable. There may be additional files such as a. Commonly, shapefiles are compressed in a. The following features are not supported: multipatch or multipoint geometries, geometries that cross the dateline, and self-intersections in polygons.

Shapefiles with these features cannot be added to Map Viewer Classic. Feedback on this topic? Back to Top. The following list summarizes how you can use shapefiles in ArcGIS Online and provides links to instructions: Publish a hosted feature layer from a shapefile. In this topic Considerations for adding and publishing shapefiles.

Print Share. Content feedback is currently offline for maintenance. Please try again in a few minutes. Is This Content Helpful? Back to top. FAQ: What is the difference between a shapefile and a layer file?

Question What is the difference between a shapefile and a layer file? Answer A shapefile. Related Information ArcMap: What is a shapefile? How can we make this better? Please provide as much detail as possible. Contact our Support Team. Request Case Start Chat. Translation Feedback How can we make this translation better? Get notified about latest updates to this technical article?