Spatial query and analysis

Spatial analysis and data processing are one of the fundamental aspects of a geographic information system (GIS). GIS includes a large set of geoprocessing functions to take information from existing datasets, apply analytic functions, and write results into new result datasets. There are numerous spatial operators, such as the Buffer and Intersect tools, that can be applied to GIS data.

Each geoprocessing tool takes existing information as input and derives a new result that can be used in subsequent operations. This ability to string together a logical sequence of operations so that you can perform spatial analysis and automate data processing—all by assembling a model—is one of the key elements of a GIS.

Spatial analysis is the process of applying analytic techniques to geographically-referenced datasets to extract or generate new geographic information to address a particular question or objective. Geoprocessing is used for the modeling portions of a spatial analysis process. For more information, see What is geoprocessing?.

Spatial analysis is a common GIS process that involves many steps, and typically, only a few of the most important of these steps involve the use of geoprocessing. During analysis, a model is built based on the analysis objectives. A set of results (output data and map views) is generated, and that information is analyzed, visualized, interpreted, understood, modified, updated, calibrated, re-executed, and so on.

The ArcGIS Desktop Help system is the best resource for learning about spatial query and analysis. For more information, see What is GIS? and Geoprocessing—Computing with geographic data.

The See Also section below will help you find the appropriate resources for completing analysis tasks. It includes roadmap topics, each containing a brief summary, and links to the information provided in the ArcGIS Desktop Help system. The links are primarily to the geoprocessing collection of topics. For guidelines to fundamental GIS operations, see An introduction to the commonly used GIS tools.