Top 10 Map Formats for GIS Professionals

In the world of geoinformation systems, hundreds of data formats exist, but only about ten are used daily. Here is our ranking of the most important formats for GIS professionals.

1. GeoJSON

The de facto standard for web mapping. An open text-based format built on JSON. Supported by all libraries: Leaflet, Mapbox GL, OpenLayers, deck.gl. Ideal for small to medium datasets (up to 50 MB).

2. Shapefile (SHP)

The classic Esri format, supported by absolutely every GIS. Limitations: 2 GB maximum, 10-character field names, one geometry type per file. Despite its age, still the most common exchange format.

3. GeoPackage (GPKG)

A modern Shapefile replacement based on SQLite. Single file, no attribute size limits, multiple geometry types. Recommended by OGC.

4. GeoTIFF / COG

Georeferenced raster format. Cloud-Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) allows reading only the needed area without downloading the entire file.

5. KML/KMZ

Google's format for Earth and Maps. Great for visualization and presentations. KMZ is the compressed (ZIP) version.

6. GeoParquet

Columnar format for big data analytics. Works with Apache Spark, DuckDB, pandas/geopandas. Ideal for processing millions of records.

7. FlatGeobuf

Binary format with HTTP streaming (range requests). Replaces Shapefile for web applications handling large data volumes.

8. PMTiles

Cloud-native vector tile format. Single file, hosted on S3 or any HTTP hosting. Replaces tile servers for most use cases.

9. GPX

The standard for GPS tracks and routes. Supported by all navigators, fitness apps, and mapping services.

10. CSV with Coordinates

The simplest way to exchange geodata. Just lat/lon columns are enough for import into any GIS. Ideal for Excel and BI system integration.

Which Format to Choose?

All 10 formats are available for export at osm2cdr.ru.