Chapter 1: Getting Started with Web GIS
Web GIS brings together the internet and geographic information systems (GIS), making it easy for people to use geographic data from anywhere. It’s becoming popular in areas like government, business, science, and even day-to-day life. Web GIS has tons of applications, from mapping and data management to analytics and decision making. The main pieces of Web GIS include users, groups, content (like maps and data), and metadata. Apps are where the action happens, things like StoryMaps or mobile apps that let users interact with maps and data. Inside these apps, you’ll find basemaps (which give context), operational layers (for interactive data), and tools that help with things like routing and location searches.
Chapter 2: Smart Mapping and Storytelling with GIS
Chapter 2 dives into tools for making maps that look great and tell stories. Feature layers are the most common type of interactive layer in maps, and they’re reusable across web maps, scenes, and apps. Esri’s geospatial cloud hosts lots of these layers, letting users create custom layers from their own data, templates, or even from scratch. With smart mapping tools, you can make professional-looking maps: think heat maps, dot density maps, and color-coded comparisons, without needing a ton of technical skills. ArcGIS Living Atlas is also a go-to for ready-to-use layers that include basemaps, imagery, and details about things like infrastructure and the environment.
For my project I would like to do something with bird sightings around campus. I was inspired by crowd sourced information and love creating free resources. I could highlight 2-3 species of interest.