Definition
Open source GIS librariesprovide basic functionality for certain aspects and tasks of open source and commercial GIS software. Libraries are helper software which offers services to independent GIS software, thus enabling code and data to be shared in a modular way. If a software provides an additional abstraction layer, underlying libraries can be exchanged if needed, e.g., due to performance, accuracy or functionality reasons. In GIS, some basic functionality is required by many derived and specialized GIS software and tools. Rather than implementing the same functionality again and again, specialized libraries can provide the functionality, offering derived software a head start rather than having to write everything from scratch. Typical cases where libraries are traditionally used are graphics and GIS format...
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Neumann, A., Hugentobler, M. (2017). Open-Source GIS Libraries. In: Shekhar, S., Xiong, H., Zhou, X. (eds) Encyclopedia of GIS. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17885-1_924
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17885-1_924
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