ESRI Compatible Tools
ESRI is the creator of the ArcGIS desktop suite, ArcGIS online, and many other GIS tools. They are the leader in GIS software development and technology.
NetMap is a community based watershed science system comprised of uniform digital watershed (map) databases, analysis tools, and technical support materials. The desktop analysis tools address fluvial geomorphology, aquatic habitat development, erosion, watershed disturbance, road networks, wildfire, hydrology, and large wood in streams, among other processes and attributes. NetMap is designed to integrate with ESRI ArcMap 9.2/9.3 and with non-proprietary GIS systems.
Geospatial Modelling Environment (GME) provides a suite of analysis and modelling tools, ranging from small 'building blocks' that you can use to construct a sophisticated work-flow, to completely self-contained analysis programs. It uses the open source software R as the statistical engine to drive some of the analysis tools. GME incorporates most of the functionality of its predecessor, HawthsTools, but with some important improvements. It has a greater range of analysis and modelling tools, supports batch processing, offers new graphing functionality, automatically records work-flows for future reference, supports geodatabases, and can be called programmatically.
XTools Pro is a comprehensive set of useful vector spatial analysis, shape conversion, and table management tools for ArcGIS that greatly enhances ArcGIS functionality and allows ArcGIS users to get to a new level of efficiency and performance. XTools Pro includes more than 70 tools for vector spatial analysis, shape conversion, and table management and more than 40 geoprocessing tools.
ET GeoWizards is a set of powerful functions that will help the ArcGIS users to manipulate data with ease. It enables the ArcGIS users with ArcGIS Basic (ArcView) licenses to perform some data processing tasks standardly possible only in ArcGIS Standard (ArcEditor) and ArcGIS Advanced (ArcInfo).
ArcBruTile display basemaps from OpenStreetMap, Bing, MapQuest, CloudMade, Mapbox, Stamen Design, PDOK (NL), U.S. National Park Service and others in ArcGIS Desktop 9.3/10.0/10.1/10.2.
CorridorDesigner includes an ArcToolbox toolbox for creating habitat and corridor models with ArcGIS and an ArcMap extension for evaluating corridors.
Open Source GIS
Quantum GIS (QGIS) is a user friendly Open Source GIS software program. QGIS is an official project of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo). It runs on Linux, Unix, Mac OSX, Windows and Android and supports numerous vector, raster, and database formats and functionalities.
PostGIS adds support for geographic objects to the PostgreSQL object-relational database. In effect, PostGIS "spatially enables" the PostgreSQL server, allowing it to be used as a backend spatial database for geographic information systems (GIS), much like ESRI's SDE or Oracle's Spatial extension.
DNRGPS is an update to the popular DNRGarmin application. DNRGPS and its predecessor were built to transfer data between Garmin handheld GPS receivers and GIS software. DNRGPS was released as Open Source software with the intention that the GPS user community will become stewards of the application, initiating future modifications and enhancements.
Stand-alone Tools/Software
Google Earth allows you to travel the world through a virtual globe and view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, and much more. Google Earth allow you to experience a more realistic view of the world.
Geographic Calculator, created by Blue Marble, is a geospatial data conversion and translation tool. This tool has many features including converting between projections, vector file types, raster file types, vector tiling, georeferencing and more.
Marxan is a conservation planning software. It provides decision support to a range of conservation planning problems, including the design of new reserve systems, reporting on the performance of existing reserve systems, and developing multiple-use zoning plans for natural resource management.
Kml2Shp is an online tool that allows you to upload a Google Earth KML file to convert to a shapefile. Works in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.
Shp2Kml is a downloadable tool that allows you to upload a Shapefile to convert into a Google Earth Kml file.
ExpertGPS software allows you to view GPS waypoints and tracklogs from any handheld GPS receiver over aerial photos and US topographic maps. It also handles all your mapping and data-conversion - you can convert any GPS, GIS, or CAD data to or from GPX, as well as Google Earth KML or KMZ, Excel CSV or TXT, SHP shapefiles, or AutoCAD DXF. It is possible to reproject your data, calculate acreage, measure distance, elevation and grade.
Cartography / Data Visualization
Vischeck is a way of showing you what things look like to someone who is color blind. You can try Vischeck online- either run Vischeck on your own image files or run Vischeck on a web page. You can also download programs to let you run it on your own computer.
Map resources provides vector-based maps for graphic design, as well as some design tips & videos.
TypeBrewer is a free help tool that gives non-specialist mapmakers a chance to explore typography in a semi-structured environment. It is not mapmaking software. Instead of providing the functionality of a graphic design program or GIS, TypeBrewer offers a quick and easy way to explore typographic alternatives and see the impact that various elements of type have on the overall look and feel of a map. TypeBrewer is designed for mapmakers who want to learn more about map typography and get practical design specifications for starting a map project.
Colorbrewer 2.0 is an online tool designed to help people select good color schemes for maps and other graphics.
These map icons are an attempt to create a simple consistent set of vector icons suitable for cartographic use.
The icons where particularly created for use with Open Street Map data using the Mapnik renderer and as such many of the naming conventions are based on those used for Open Street Map tags.
The icons where particularly created for use with Open Street Map data using the Mapnik renderer and as such many of the naming conventions are based on those used for Open Street Map tags.
Gephi is an interactive visualization and exploration platform for all kinds of networks and complex systems, dynamic and hierarchical graphs. Runs on Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. Gephi is open-source and free. Gephi's features include intuition-oriented analysis by networks manipulations in real time; revealing the underlying structures of associations between objects, in particular in scale-free networks; easy creation of social data connectors to map community organizations and small-world networks; representing patterns of biological data; and scientific work promotion with hi-quality printable maps.
The Science of Science (Sci2) Tool is a modular toolset specifically designed for the study of science. It supports the temporal, geospatial, topical, and network analysis and visualization of scholarly datasets at the micro (individual), meso (local), and macro (global) levels.
Color Hunter is a tool that allows you to create and find color palettes made from images.
Canva is a Design Wiki on Colors teaches you everything you need to know about colors, their meanings and the color combinations that will hopefully give inspiration to your next design.
Web Mapping
D3 is a JavaScript library for manipulating documents based on data. D3 helps you bring data to life using HTML, SVG and CSS. D3’s emphasis is on web combining powerful visualization components and a data-driven approach to DOM manipulation.
OpenStreetMap is a free worldwide map, created by people like you. The data is free to download and use under its open license. You can also create a user account to improve the map.