Software
There are many types of GIS software, ranging from proprietary (paid licenses) to free and open source. Use the list below to determine which software is right for you and how to install it.
Desktop GIS– GIS software that is installed on an individual computer’s hard drive and tends to be more robust and comprehensive. Data files are stored and managed on the hard drive.
Web GIS– GIS software that is accessed through the internet and is hosted on the cloud. They tend to have fewer analytical functions, but are improving over time. Data files are stored and managed on the cloud.
ArcGIS Pro
ArcGIS Pro is a desktop GIS produced by the company Esri. It is the leading GIS software on the market, and employers often expect proficiency. ArcGIS Pro is only compatible on Windows operating systems, though Apple users could install it by running parallels.
Installation– Dartmouth offers free use to all campus members. Install and license the software using the following guide: https://services.dartmouth.edu/TDClient/1806/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=144381
ArcGIS Online
ArcGIS Online is a web GIS produced by the company Esri. It is less robust than ArcGIS Pro and has fewer options for analysis and visualization, but still has many analysis tools and cartography choices.
Access ArcGIS Online at the following link: https://www.arcgis.com/index.html. To log in, click on the ‘Your Organization’s URL’ and type in ‘dartmouth’, then log in with your netID.
QGIS
QGIS is a free and open-source desktop GIS. It has most of the same functions as ArcGIS Pro and can be just as effective and robust, depending on your purpose. QGIS is compatible with both Windows and Apple operating systems.
Installation– Download QGIS at the following link: https://qgis.org/download/. We recommend choosing the latest long-term stable release version, as it tends to have less bugs.
R/RStudio
R is a free and open-source programming language used for statistical analysis in various fields. RStudio is an integrated development environment (IDE) application designed to interface easily with R. There are many useful packages for spatial analysis and visualization in R, including simple features (sf), rgdal, rgeos, ggplot2, etc. R is compatible with both Windows and Apple operating systems.
R Installation– Download R at the following link: https://cran.r-project.org/
R Studio Installation– Download RStudio at the following link: https://posit.co/downloads/
RTools Installation– We also recommend downloading RTools, which is a toolchain bundle used for building R packages from source. It is sometimes difficult to install packages without it. Download RTools at the following link: https://cran.r-project.org/bin/windows/Rtools/
Google Earth Engine
Google Earth Engine is a cloud-based GIS platform that allows users to run large processing commands from their own computers. It has an enormous database of geospatial data and satellite imagery dating back 50+ years from satellites such as Landsat, MODIS, Sentinel, etc. Earth Engine is often a good option for doing spatial analysis on many satellite images, since the user does not need to download the large files onto their computer first.
Access Google Earth Engine at the following link: https://cloud.google.com/earth-engine
There are many free textbooks and tutorials available online to help learn the basics of Earth Engine, such as the following: https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/76709
Leaflet
Leaflet is a free and open-source JavaScript library for creating interactive maps. Leaflet has various plug-ins that allow for sophisticated web maps. It can either be downloaded or placed in the head of HTML code to access. Leaflet requires some basic coding in HTML and CSS. Leaflet can also be connected to desktop GIS software by using the Leaflet plug-in in QGIS or package in R.
Access more information about Leaflet and tutorials at the following link: https://leafletjs.com/
You will need a code editor to interface with the library. We recommend using Visual Studio Code or Brackets.
Python
Python is a popular open-source programming language that can be used for spatial analysis and visualization. We recommend using Anaconda as a code editor. Some popular packages for GIS include geopandas, gdal, pyproj, matplotlib, etc.
Python can also be integrated with desktop GIS software. Esri has a proprietary library ArcPy that can be used to run spatial analysis tools in ArcGIS Pro, though can only be accessed through a valid license. QGIS also has a Python console and API.
Python Installation– Download Python at the following link: https://www.python.org/downloads/
Anaconda Installation– Download Anaconda at the following link: https://www.anaconda.com/download
Felt GIS
Felt GIS is a cloud-based GIS platform for creating maps, apps, and platforms. It has an extremely user-friendly interface and allows for multimedia additions to your maps such as images, videos, drawings, and more. Felt was previously free but has now been made proprietary, with free use for classrooms if the instructor submits an application.
Access Felt with the following link: https://felt.com/