joewdavies/awesome-frontend-gis

Awesome Frontend GIS

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for web browsers. For managing, analyzing, editing, and visualizing geographic data.

A compilation of geospatial-related web frameworks, tools, demos, applications, data sources and more.

Contents

• 👨‍💻 JavaScript Libraries
  • Mapping
  • Data Processing
  • LiDAR
  • Remote Sensing
• 💾 Data sources
  • Downloads
  • Web APIs
  • Collections
• 📒 Notebooks
  • Beginner
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
• 🗺️ Web maps
• 🌐 Web apps
• 🎨 Colour advice
• 📍 Icons
• 📺 Videos
• 📚 Further reading

👨‍💻 JavaScript Libraries

Mapping

Libraries for creating web maps:

• Leaflet - The leading open-source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps.
• OpenLayers - A high-performance, feature-packed library for creating interactive maps on the web.
• Cesium.js - An open-source JavaScript library for world-class 3D mapping of geospatial data.
• maplibre - It originated as an open-source fork of mapbox-gl-js, before their switch to a non-OSS license in December 2020.
• Deck.GL - WebGL2 powered geospatial visualization layers.
• MapTalks.js - An open-source JavaScript library for integrated 2D/3D maps.
• antvis L7 - Large-scale WebGL-powered Geospatial Data Visualization.
• Tangram - WebGL map rendering engine for creative cartography.
• TerriaJS - TerriaJS is a library for building rich, web-based geospatial data explorers.
• gridviz - A package for visualizing gridded data.
• Eurostat-map - Create and customise web maps showing Eurostat data using D3.js.
• Bertin.js - A JavaScript library for visualizing geospatial data and making thematic maps for the web.
• regl-map-animation - Animate x/y point data using regl and categorize them into a bar chart.
• iTowns - A Three.js-based framework written in JavaScript/WebGL for visualizing 3D geospatial data.
• globe.gl - This library is a convenience wrapper around the three-globe plugin, and uses ThreeJS/WebGL for 3D rendering.
• d3-geo - A library for creating maps based on D3.js.
• d3-geo-projection - Extended geographic projections.
• d3-geo-voronoi - Voronoi diagrams and Delaunay triangulation for the sphere.
• d3-inertia - An extension to d3-drag that continues the mouse movement with some inertia.
• datamaps - Customizable map visualizations in one file.
• react-simple-maps - An SVG mapping component library for React, built on top of d3-geo.
• Google Maps - Google Maps API for JavaScript.
• Wrld.js - Animated 3D city maps based on Leaflet.
• Mapbox GL JS - JavaScript library that uses WebGL to render interactive maps from vector tiles.
• ArcGIS API for JS - A lightweight way to embed maps and tasks in web applications.
• HERE maps API - Build web applications with feature-rich and customizable HERE maps.
• Map Forecast API - Simple-to-use library based on Leaflet 1.4.x. It allows you to show wind maps.

Data Processing

Libraries that help you analyse and process geospatial data:

• geolib - Library to provide basic geospatial operations like distance calculation, conversion of decimal coordinates to sexagesimal, etc.
• Turf.js - Turf is a JavaScript library for spatial analysis.
• JSTS - JavaScript Topology Suite.
• flatten-js - For manipulating geometrical shapes, finding intersections, checking inclusion, calculating distance, transformations and more.
• flatbush - A really fast static spatial index for 2D points and rectangles in JavaScript.
• rbush - RBush is a high-performance JavaScript library for 2D spatial indexing of points and rectangles.
• Geometric.js - A JavaScript library for doing geometry.
• Euclid.ts - 2D Euclidean geometry classes, utilities, and drawing tools.
• Proj4js - Transform coordinates from one coordinate system to another, including datum transformations.
• GeoTiff.js - Parse TIFF files for visualization or analysis.
• Arc.js - Calculate great circles routes as lines in GeoJSON or WKT format.
• awesome-GeoJSON - Catalogue of GeoJSON tools.
• topoJSON - Convert GeoJSON to TopoJSON for use in D3 maps.
• d3-geo-polygon - Clipping and geometric operations for spherical polygons.
• Wicket - A modest library for moving between Well-Known Text (WKT) and various framework geometries.
• koop - Koop is a JavaScript toolkit for connecting incompatible spatial APIs.
• spl.js - Makes it possible to use SpatiaLite functionality in JavaScript. Behind the scenes, a WebAssembly port of SpatiaLite is used.
• geotoolbox - Provides several GIS operations for use with geojson properties. Useful for thematic cartography.
• supercluster - A very fast JavaScript library for geospatial point clustering for browsers and Node.
• geoblaze - A blazing fast JavaScript raster processing engine. Using geoblaze, you can run computations ranging from basic statistics (min, max, mean, mode) to band arithmetic and histogram generation in either a web browser or a node application.
• geopackage-js - The GeoPackage JavaScript library currently provides the ability to read GeoPackage files.
• geojson-merge - Merge multiple GeoJSON files into one FeatureCollection.
• Galton - Lightweight Node.js isochrone server. Build isochrones using OSRM, Turf and concaveman.
• geojson-vt - A highly efficient JavaScript library for slicing GeoJSON data into vector tiles on the fly.
• geobuf - Geobuf is a compact binary encoding for geographic data.
• geoparquet - Encoding geospatial data in Apache Parquet.
• statsbreaks - Split (classify/discretize) a quantitative dataset into a (k) number of classes or thematic categories. Useful for creating a choropleth map.
• gdal3.js - Convert raster and vector geospatial data to various formats and coordinate systems entirely in the browser.
• math.gl - JavaScript math library focused on Geospatial and 3D use cases.

LiDAR

Tools for visualizing point clouds with web browsers:

• Potree - WebGL point cloud viewer for large datasets.
• Plasio - Drag-n-drop In-browser LAS/LAZ point cloud viewer.
• Potree & Cesium.js - Rezt, Austria LIDAR viewer.
• Three.js - Point cloud data loader.

Remote Sensing

Resources for frontend earth observation and remote sensing:

• Google Earth Engine - Geospatial processing service.
• sentinelhub-js - Download and process satellite imagery in JavaScript or TypeScript using Sentinel Hub services.
• Sentinel Hub custom scripts - A repository of custom scripts to be used with Sentinel Hub.
• Spectral - Awesome Spectral Indices for the Google Earth Engine JavaScript API (Code Editor).
• EOSDIS Worldview - Interactive interface for browsing global, full-resolution satellite imagery.

💾 Data sources

A collection of geospatial open data sources:

Downloads

Data available for download:

• OpenMapTiles - Free OpenStreetMap Vector Tiles.
• OpenStreetMap - A free, world-wide geographic data set.
• Natural Earth - Free vector and raster map data at 1:10m, 1:50m, and 1:110m scales.
• World Atlas TopoJSON - A convenient redistribution of Natural Earth's vector data as TopoJSON.
• Copernicus global DEM - Global elevation tiles.
• ETOPO1 - 1 arc-minute global relief model of Earth's surface that integrates land topography and ocean bathymetry.
• HydroSHEDS - Hydrographic information in a consistent and comprehensive format for regional and global-scale applications.
• geoboundaries - The world's largest open, free and research-ready database of political administrative boundaries.
• Global power plant database - A comprehensive, global, open source database of power plants.
• Ookla internet speed data - Provides global network performance metrics. Data is provided in both Shapefile format as well as Apache Parquet.
• European population grids - GISCO - These datasets contain grid cells covering the European land territory, for various resolutions from 1km to 100km. Base statistics such as population figures are provided for these cells.
• Healthcare Services in Europe - The locations of healthcare services across Europe.
• European Postcodes Point Data - The postal code point dataset shows the location of postal codes, NUTS codes and the Degree of Urbanisation classification across the EU, EFTA and candidate countries from a variety of sources.
• WorldPop - Open access spatial demographic datasets built using transparent approaches.
• World Bank - Free and open access to global development data.
• USGS Earth Explorer - Query and order satellite images, aerial photographs, and cartographic products through the U.S. Geological Survey.
• Open Topography - OpenTopography facilitates community access to high-resolution, Earth science-oriented, topography data, and related tools and resources.
• NASA Earth Observations - Here you can browse and download imagery of satellite data from NASA's constellation of Earth Observing System satellites.
• Geodata.gov.gr - Open geospatial data for Greece.
• ArcGIS Hub - Over 380,000 open datasets.
• DIVA-GIS - Free spatial data. Includes country and global level boundaries, climate, species occurence, crop and elevation data.
• OpenAerialMap - An open service to provide access to a commons of openly licensed imagery and map layer services.
• Global Climate Monitor - Global open climate data available for download.
• Copernicus open access hub - Copernicus satellite imagery download.

Web APIs

Restful APIs for consuming geospatial data on the fly:

• GISCO data distribution API - Official European Commission data source for administrative regions, Coastal lines, Communes, Countries, Local Administrative Units, NUTS, Urban Audit.
• Address API - Pan-european address data. Supports geocoding, reverse-geocoding and lists of address components (e.g. all roads in a city).
• USGS earthquake data - Allows custom searches for earthquake information using a variety of parameters.
• movebank-api - Movebank is a free, online database and research platform for animal tracking and other on-animal sensor data.
• Overpass API - Retrieve OpenStreetMap data.
• REST countries - Get information about countries via a RESTful API.
• OSMNames - The OSMNames open-source project provides raw place data in an easy-to-index form.
• Open Notify - Get the current location of the International Space Station (ISS) and current number of people in space!
• OpenAQ - OpenAQ is the largest open-source air quality data platform.
• openrouteservice - Directions, Isochrones, Time-Distance Matrix, Pelias Geocoding, POIs, Elevation, Optimization.
• GraphHopper Route Optimization API - Solves a variety of vehicle routing problems, including the classical “traveling salesman problem”.
• Geoapify - Maps, address and location search, route optimization, reachability analysis, geodata access, and more.
• OpenCage - Forward and reverse worldwide geocoding API using open data.
• breezometer - API endpoints for Air Quality, Pollen, Weather, Wildfire, Cleanest Routes and Environmental Alerts. Serves current conditions, forecasts, and historical data.
• IQAir - Air quality API. Global, historical, real-time and forecast air quality data.
• ipfind - Geographic location of an IP address or any domain name along with some other useful information.
• bng2latlong - Simple API to convert an OSGB36 easting and northing (British National Grid) to WGS84 latitude and longitude.
• Open Postcode Geo API - British postcodes with easting, northing, latitude, and longitude.
• Country State City API - Full Database of city state country available in JSON, SQL, XML, YAML & CSV format.
• API Geo - Official French geographical data API.
• geonames - Supports placename lookup, postal Code Search, reverse geocoding, nearby populated place and nearby toponym searches.
• opentopodata API - Open Topo Data is a REST API server for your elevation data.
• what3words - Convert 3 word addresses to coordinates and vice versa.
• TomTom - Charging stations, fuel prices, routing, geocoding, parking availability, traffic and waypoint optimization endpoints.
• geoplugin - Free geolocation and currency conversion API.
• Open Charge Map API - Non-commercial, non-profit global public registry of electric vehicle charging locations.
• OpenSky API - Retrieve live airspace information for research and non-commerical purposes.
• Open-Meteo - Global weather forecast API for non-commercial use.
• RainViewer - Free weather API. Offers the past (2 hours) and forecast (30 minutes) weather radar data and the past infrared satellite data.
• Sunrise and sunset - Sunset and sunrise times for a given latitude and longitude.
• Geocode.xyz - Reverse Geocoding, Forward Geocoding, Geoparsing API. Free requests throttled at 1 request per second.

Collections

Compilations and repositories of open geospatial datasets:

• awesome-public-datasets - An awesome repository full of open datasets from an abundance of different categories.
• Free GIS data - Links to over 500 sites providing freely available geographic datasets.
• WRI - World resources institute.
• Public APIs - A collective list of free APIs for use in software and web development.

📒 Notebooks

Some JavaScript notebooks to help you code:

Beginner

• Hello, Leaflet - ObservableHQ.
• Hello, Bertin.js - Nicolas Lambert.
• Hello, Mapbox GL - Mike Bostock.
• Hello, eurostat-map.js - Joe Davies.
• Hello, gridviz - Nicolas Lambert.

Intermediate

• World Tour - D3.
• Choropleth - D3.
• How to make a nice scalebar - Julien Gaffuri.
• #GISCHAT Twitter Users with MapBoxGL - Globe Projection - Chris Marx.
• Hexgrid maps with d3-hexgrid - Larsvers.
• Bivariate Choropleth with Continuous Color Scales - Stephanie Tuerk.
• Visualizing Eurostat grid data using Three.js & D3 - Joe Davies.

Advanced

• Try to impeach this? Challenge accepted! - Karim Douieb.
• Bars and pubs in Paris - Nicolas Lambert.
• Brussels Street Gender Inequality - Karim Douieb.
• Animating voting maps with regl - Benjamin Schmidt.
• Election maps as dorling striped circles - Julien Gaffuri.
• GeoParquet on the web - Kyle Barron.
• Interactive Regl wind demo - Daniel Kao.
• Dorling cartogram of the Spanish Presidential election - Adrián Blanco.
• Visualizing earthquakes with Three.js - Joe Davies.

🗺️ Web maps

A compilation of interesting web maps:

• Map of notable people - Topi Tjukanov.
• Submarine cable map - TeleGeography.
• Radio Garden - 3D Globe Radio Tuner.
• Map of every building in the United States - New York Times.
• Map of the Roman transport network - The Stanford Geospatial Network Model of the Roman World.
• Webgl Wind - A WebGL-powered visualization of wind power. Capable of rendering up to 1 million wind particles at 60fps.

🌐 Web apps

Plug-and-play geospatial web apps:

• city roads - Render every single road in any city at once.
• Kepler - A powerful open source geospatial analysis tool for large-scale data sets.
• Plasio - Drag-n-drop In-browser LAS/LAZ point cloud viewer.
• mapshaper - Online editor for map data.
• geotiff.io - GeoTIFF.io provides quick access to easy-to-use raster processing.
• IMAGE - An easy-to-use tool for generating thematic maps.
• magrit - Magrit is an online application for thematic mapping (cartography).
• StoryMap JS - The Open source alternative to ESRI's Story map application.
• Datawrapper - Create charts, maps, and tables.
• Maputnik - A free and open visual editor for the Mapbox GL styles targeted at developers and map designers.
• Fantasy Map Generator - Free web application that helps fantasy writers, game masters, and cartographers create and edit fantasy maps.
• uMap - Lets you create a map with OpenStreetMap layers and embed it in your site.
• Peak Map - Allows you to visualize elevation of any area on the map with filled area charts (also known as a ridgeline).
• mapus - Mapus is a tool to explore and annotate collaboratively on a map.
• MapOnShirt - A fun tool for creating colorful designs from maps and turning them into T-shirts, Posters, Cushions and more.

🎨 Colour advice

Colour usage is very important in data visualisation and cartography. Here are some tools to help you choose the best colours for your maps:

• ColorBrewer - Colour advice for maps, based on the research of Dr. Cynthia Brewer.
• viz-palette - This project is optimized for tweaking, copying, and pasting colors in and out of JavaScript.
• Chroma.js Color Palette Helper - This chroma.js-powered tool is here to help us mastering multi-hued, multi-stops color scales.
• Dicopal.js - Discrete color palettes (hundreds of them!) for JavaScript.
• Textures.js - JavaScript library for creating SVG patterns. Made on top of d3.js, it is designed for data visualization. Textures are useful for the selective perception of different categories.

📍 Icons

Icons to add to your GIS websites:

• font-GIS - A very very cool icon font set for use with GIS and spatial analysis tools.
• Map Icons Collection - A set of more than 1000 free and customizable icons to use as placemarks for your POI (Point of Interests) locations on your maps.
• Material Symbols - Over 2,990 glyphs in a single font file with a wide range of design variants.
• Geoapify map marker playground - The Marker Icon API lets you create beautiful icons and use them as Map Markers.

📺 Videos

Videos of web mapping presentations and tutorials:

• Mapping Geolocation with Leaflet.js - Working with Data and APIs in JavaScript - The Coding Train.
• 10 Maps, and the Tech and Stories Behind Them - Maarten Lambrechts.
• Intermediate Three.js Tutorial - Create a Globe with Custom Shaders - Chris Courses.
• Statistical Cartography - Design principles for statistical map design - Julien Gaffuri.

📚 Further reading

• Fundamentals of Data Visualization - Claus O. Wilke.
• A Workbook for Interactive Cartography and Visualization on the Open Web - Robert Roth, Carl Sack, Gareth Baldrica-Franklin, Yuying Chen, Rich Donohue, Lily Houtman, Tim Prestby, Robin Tolochko, Nick Underwood.
• Thematic Mapping: 101 Inspiring Ways to Visualise Empirical Data - Kenneth Field.
• Color use guidelines for mapping and visualization - Cynthia A. Brewer.

Contributing

Contributions of any kind are welcome, just follow the guidelines by either:

• Filling a suggestion issue (easier).
• Opening a pull request.

If you have any questions about this list, please don't hesitate to contact me @joewdavies on Twitter or open a GitHub issue.