Definition
PostGIS is a spatial database extension for the PostgreSQL (SQL being structured query language) object-relational database. It is certified as a compliant “Simple Features for SQL” database by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC).
PostGIS adds geometry data types and spatial functions to the PostgreSQL database. The supported geometry data types are “Points,” “LineStrings,” “Polygons,” “MultiPoints,” “MultiLineStrings,” “MultiPolygons” and “GeometryCollections”. Spatial functions enable the analysis and processing of geographic information systems (GIS) objects. Examples are measurement functions like “Area,” “Distance,” “Length” and “Perimeter” and spatial operators like “Union,” “Difference,” “Symmetric Difference” and “Buffer”. Topological relationships, like “Equals,” “Disjoint,” “Intersects,” “Touches,”...
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Strobl, C. (2017). PostGIS. In: Shekhar, S., Xiong, H., Zhou, X. (eds) Encyclopedia of GIS. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17885-1_1012
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17885-1_1012
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