https://github.com/hhkaos/gis-jargon-for-developers
Dictionary of terms to help you getting starting learning GIS development
https://github.com/hhkaos/gis-jargon-for-developers
developers documentation geospatial gis glossary terminology
Last synced: 4 months ago
JSON representation
Dictionary of terms to help you getting starting learning GIS development
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/hhkaos/gis-jargon-for-developers
- Owner: hhkaos
- Created: 2025-09-18T13:40:38.000Z (9 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-09-18T14:23:32.000Z (9 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-10-06T09:47:47.219Z (9 months ago)
- Topics: developers, documentation, geospatial, gis, glossary, terminology
- Homepage:
- Size: 6.84 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 7
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# GIS Jargon for Developers
A collaborative glossary that explains **terms with different meanings in Computer Science and GIS**.
If you’ve ever wondered why *buffer*, *vector*, *schema*, or *routing* mean one thing in programming and something else in GIS, this repo is for you.
## Why this repo?
GIS documentation often uses words familiar to developers but with completely different meanings.
On top of that, different organizations and standards use different names for the *same* thing — for example:
- **LineString** in GeoJSON = **Polyline** in Esri
- **Icon** in Leaflet = **PictureMarkerSymbol** in ArcGIS
This glossary helps bridge both kinds of gaps:
- 🚧 **CS vs GIS**: different meaning for the same word
- 🔀 **Cross-ecosystem**: different words for the same concept
## Quick examples
| Term | Computer Science | GIS |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
| Buffer | Memory area used for I/O | Polygon/zone created around a feature |
| Vector | Array or vector | Geometry made of points, lines, and polygons |
| Schema | Database structure (tables, fields, constraints) | Tiling schema |
| Routing | IP packet path selection or mechanism that maps URL paths to specific views or components in a single-page application | Finding directions along a road/utility network |
---
## Contributing
This project grows with community input 💡
### 🆕 Missing a term?
Open an issue with the **Missing Term** template:
- Add the term
- Share the meanings (CS + GIS) if you know them
- Optionally include examples or references
👉 [Open a missing term issue](../../issues/new?template=%F0%9F%86%95-request-a-new-term.md)
### ✍️ Improve an existing definition
If a definition is incomplete, unclear, or inaccurate, you can go to the issue and comment there.
### 💬 Start a discussion
Not sure about a definition? Think it could be explained differently?
Open a **Discussion/Clarification** issue to get more perspectives.
👉 [Propose an improvement](../../issues/new?template=%F0%9F%92%AC-discussion---clarification.md)
---
## Other Dictionaries & References
This glossary is not meant to replace existing resources, but to complement them with a developer-focused perspective.
If you want to dive deeper, check out these excellent references:
- [Esri developer glossary](https://developers.arcgis.com/documentation/glossary/)
- [Esri GIS Dictionary](https://support.esri.com/en/other-resources/gis-dictionary)
- [GISGeography – GIS Dictionary / Definition Glossary](https://gisgeography.com/gis-dictionary-definition-glossary/)
- [Lexicon of Geospatial Terminology (FGDC)](https://www.fgdc.gov/policyandplanning/a-16/lexicon-of-geospatial-terminology)