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Location Glossary

What is...

Access Token

An access token is a string of characters that is used to authenticate a user or an application when making requests to an API.

Address

An address is a description of the location of a building or other place, including the street number, street name, city, state, and zip code.

Address cleaning

Address cleaning is a technical process used to normalize and standardize address data in order to reduce errors and improve accuracy.

Address standardization

Address standardization refers to the process of taking an address and formatting it in a consistent and standardized way for storage and analysis purposes.

Adjacency

Adjacency can be defined as when two objects share the same boundary and are next to or adjoining with a common side or vertex. It can also be referred to the proximity or nearness of two or more locations in relation to one another.

Administrative area

An administrative area is a geographic region that is designated as having a specific level of administrative authority. These areas are typically defined by political boundaries and are used for the purposes of government and administration.

Annotation

In geolocation, annotation refers to the process of adding information or metadata to a location or map to provide additional context or detail.

API Request

API Requests are requests sent to an Application Programming Interface (API) in order to retrieve data or execute an action.

API Response

An API Response is the data or information that is returned from a server when an API (Application Programming Interface) request is sent.

Attribution

Attribution refers to the process of giving credit to the source or creator of a work or piece of content. It involves acknowledging the original author, artist, or creator in order to give them recognition and protect their intellectual property rights.

Autocomplete

An autocomplete API is a type of application programming interface (API) that can suggest potential matches as users type in a search query.

Base Map

A base map refers to a map that provides the foundational or background information for other layers of data to be added on top.

Base Station

A base station is a device that communicates wirelessly with mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops. It acts as a central hub or relay point for these devices to connect to the wider cellular network and communicate with each other.

Bearing

Bearing refers to the direction in which an object or a person is moving or facing. It is usually measured in degrees, with 360 degrees representing a full circle.

Bounding Box

A bounding box is a rectangular coordinate system used to define a geographical area on maps. It is determined by two sets of coordinates - latitude and longitude - which establish the location of the four corners of the box.

Cache

Cache in APIs refers to a temporary storage area for data to reduce the number of server round trips and delay associated with retrieving the same data over and over again.

Cartography

Cartography is the science and art of creating maps. It involves the study of how to represent the world or a part of it in a way that is accurate, informative, and visually appealing.

Centroid

A centroid is a geometric center point of a two-dimensional shape, such as a triangle, square, or circle. It is the point where all the lines of symmetry intersect each other.

Coordinate Reference System (CRS)

A Coordinate Reference System (CRS) is a system that defines how to locate and display geographic data in maps and other spatial representations. It uses a set of coordinates to specify the position of a feature or location on the Earth's surface.

Digital elevation model

A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a representation of the Earth's surface that shows the variation in elevation at different points on the terrain.

Digital Elevation Model (DEM)

A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a digital representation of the topography of a land surface or terrain. It is a digital 3D model of the Earth's surface that captures the elevation or height of each point on the surface, as well as the slope, aspect, and other characteristics

Distance matrix API

Distance Matrix API is a web service that provides travel distance and time for a matrix of origins and destinations, based on the recommended route between start and end points.

Dynamic maps

Dynamic map tiles are a type of web mapping service that provides map tiles (small images on a map) that can be easily updated as the underlying data changes.

Endpoint

An API endpoint is a unique URL that receives requests and sends responses between various applications.

False color imagery

False color imagery is a type of satellite image that uses colors that do not correspond to the colors visible to the human eye. Instead, different wavelengths of light, such as infrared or ultraviolet, are assigned specific colors to create an enhanced image for analysis.

Forward Geocoding

Forward Geocoding or simply Geocoding is a process of converting address data into geographic coordinates.

Geocoder

A geocoder is a software tool or service that performs geocoding, which is the process of converting an address or location description into geographic coordinates (such as latitude and longitude) or vice versa.

Geocoding accuracy

Geocoding accuracy refers to the degree to which the geographic coordinates produced by a geocoder match the actual location of a place on the Earth's surface.

Geofencing

Geofencing is a location-based service in which virtual boundaries or "geofences" are placed around physical locations and the user receives notifications when the device enters or exits the boundary.

Geographical User Interface (GUI)

A Geographical User Interface (GUI) is a type of user interface that uses geographic data, such as maps and satellite imagery, to provide a visual representation of data and enable users to interact with it.

Geonames

Geonames is an open source geographical database maintained by the Open Geospatial Consortium. It gathers data from several sources, such as government agencies and private companies, and creates a global dataset that can be used for a variety of applications.

Georeference

Georeferencing is the process of assigning real-world coordinates to a digital image or map. In other words, it is the process of aligning an image or map with a specific location on the Earth's surface.

Georeferencing

Georeferencing is the process of aligning satellite imagery or other types of maps with real-world geographic coordinates. In simple words, it involves taking an image of the Earth's surface, and placing it accurately on a map of the same area.

GET Request

A GET request is an HTTP method used to fetch information from an API.

GPS (Global Positioning System)

GPS (Global Positioning System) is a satellite-based navigation system that allows us to pinpoint our location on Earth.

Granularity

Granularity is a concept used in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to refer to the degree of detail or accuracy of the data in the system.

Greenwich Meridian

The Greenwich Meridian is an imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole, passing through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, England. It is also known as the Prime Meridian, and it is used as a reference line for measuring longitude on Earth.

Grid Layer

A grid layer is a type of map layer that overlays a grid on top of a map. The grid is usually made up of a series of evenly spaced horizontal and vertical lines that divide the map into smaller, uniform sections.

Ground control points

Ground control points (GCPs) are known locations on the Earth's surface that are used to align satellite imagery with geographic coordinates during the process of georeferencing.

Haversine formula

The Haversine formula is a formula used to calculate the distance between two points on a sphere given their longitude and latitude coordinates.

Heat Maps

Heat maps are a type of visualization that uses color-coded cells to represent data values. Heat maps are commonly used to display large data sets or to highlight patterns and trends in data.

Inset Map

An inset map, also known as a locator map or a small-scale map, is a map that shows a larger area in context to a smaller area. In other words, it's a small map that is included within a larger map to provide more detail about a specific location or region.

Intersection

An intersection is a point where two or more features intersect, such as lines, polygons, or surfaces. Intersection points can be used to identify locations, to define relationships between features, and for spatial analysis.

JSON

JSON stands for JavaScript Object Notation, and is a lightweight data interchange format that is easy for humans to read and write, and easy for machines to parse and generate.

Latitude

Latitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the Earth's surface.

Leaflet

Leaflet is an open source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps.

Library

A library is a collection of code, scripts, classes and other useful elements that can be used to develop applications.

Longitude

Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface.

Magnetic Declination

Magnetic declination, also known as magnetic variation, is the angle between magnetic north and true north at a particular location.

MapLibre JS

MapLibre JS is a powerful and user-friendly JavaScript library for building interactive maps on the web. It is an open-source library that allows developers to create customized maps with various features, including zooming, panning, and adding markers or pop-ups.

Map Matching API

Map Matching API is an advanced web mapping service that provides a seamless connection between digital maps and the physical world.

Map Resolution

Map resolution refers to the level of detail and accuracy in a map. In other words, map resolution is how finely the map is divided into small units, such as pixels or vector data, and how accurately those units represent the real world.

Map theme

Map themes refer to the different categories, styles or types of information that can be represented on a map.

Multispectral imagery

Multispectral imagery refers to satellite images that capture data from multiple spectral bands, which are different ranges of wavelengths of light.

Nadir

Nadir refers to the point directly beneath a satellite as it orbits the Earth. This is the point on the Earth's surface that is closest to the satellite at any given moment.

Node

Node in OpenStreetMap refers to a point of interest on a map. It can be any point on a map that has a unique location, such as a building, a statue, or a tree.

OpenAddresses

OpenAddresses is a public data project that maintains a global, freely-available dataset of address-level geocoding.

Open API

OpenAPI, also known as the Open API Initiative, is an open-source software specification for defining and documenting a RESTful API.

OpenLayers

OpenLayers is a powerful and user-friendly JavaScript library for building interactive maps on the web. It is an open-source library that allows developers to create customized maps with various features, including zooming, panning, and adding markers or pop-ups.

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a collaborative open-source project, which involves hundreds of thousands of volunteers in mapping the world.

Orthorectification

Orthorectification is a process of removing distortion from an image caused by the curvature of the Earth and changes in terrain.

OSM_ID

OSM ID is a numerical identifier that is assigned to every element in the OpenStreetMap (OSM) database.

OSM_type

OSM type (or object type) is the term used in OpenStreetMap (OSM) to describe the type of geographic object or feature in a map dataset.

OSRM

OSRM (Open Source Routing Machine) is an open-source routing engine that provides interactive route planning, turn-by-turn navigation, and network analysis.

Parsing

Parsing refers to the process of analyzing and interpreting data in order to understand its structure and meaning. This can be done with various types of data, including text, code, or other structured data formats.

Pixel

In the context of maps, a pixel is the smallest unit of display in a digital image or map. It represents a single point on the map and is often used to represent features like roads, buildings, or vegetation.

Points of interest

Points of interest (POI) refer to a location that has a special or particular interest for a particular purpose.

Polar orbit

A polar orbit is an orbit that takes a satellite over the Earth's poles. In a polar orbit, the satellite travels over the North Pole and then over the South Pole on each orbit.

Polygon

A polygon is a closed set of line segments that connect together to form a shape in a two-dimensional plane.

Polygon overlay

Polygon overlay is a process in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) where two or more spatial datasets are combined to create a new layer that contains the overlapping areas. T

Polyline

A polyline is a feature in map applications that displays a line connecting multiple points on the map, allowing users to visualize routes and paths.

Postal Address

Postal address is a way of capturing and correlating physical address information. A postal address is made up of components such as street number, street name, city, state/province, postal code & country

POST Request

An API POST request (also known as an HTTP POST request) is an API transaction where the API requestor submits data to the API provider with the intention of updating, creating, or deleting an existing API resource.

Precision

Precision refers to the level of detail and accuracy in measurement or calculation. In other words, precision is how close multiple measurements or calculations are to each other, and how much variability there is between them.

Query Parameters

Query parameters are a way to pass additional information to a web server through a URL. They are added to the end of the URL and are separated by a question mark (?), with each parameter and its value separated by an equals sign (=).

Radiometric resolution

Radiometric resolution is the ability of a satellite sensor to detect and distinguish between different levels of reflected or emitted radiation from the Earth's surface.

Raster Maps

Raster maps are digital maps that are made up of a grid of pixels. Each pixel contains a value that represents a specific feature or characteristic of the area it represents.

Rate Limit

Rate limits are restrictions placed on the frequency of requests an API can process.

Relation

In OpenStreetMap (OSM), a relation is a way to group together multiple elements, such as nodes, ways, and other relations, to create a more complex and meaningful representation of a geographic feature.

Renderer

A renderer is a software component that takes geographic data and converts it into a visual representation on a map.

REST APIs

A REST (Representational State Transfer) API is a type of web API that uses HTTP requests to access and manipulate data, typically using JSON or XML formats.

Reverse Geocoding

Reverse geocoding is the process of converting geographic coordinates (such as latitude and longitude) into a human-readable address or other descriptive information.

Route Optimization

Route optimization API finds the most efficient route to deliver goods or services from one point to another.

Satellite imagery

Satellite imagery is a type of image that is captured by satellites orbiting the Earth. These images can be used to create detailed maps of the Earth's surface, to monitor changes in the environment, and to track weather patterns.

SDK

SDK stands for Software Development Kit, and it is a set of tools and components that provide developers with the necessary elements to create applications and software.

Search radius

Search radius in GIS is a method used to search areas within a certain distance of a given starting point or coordinate. It facilitates the identification of geographic features and objects which exist within a given distance from a particular place.

Shapefile

Shapefiles are a type of file used in GIS to store and manage spatial data. They are typically used to represent geographical features such as rivers, roads, and buildings.

Spatial reference system

A spatial reference system is a system used to define the locations of objects on the Earth's surface, including the coordinate system (such as latitude and longitude) and the datum (a mathematical model of the Earth).

Spectral bands

Spectral bands are different ranges of wavelengths of light that are captured by a satellite sensor. These bands can include visible light, as well as other wavelengths outside of the visible range, such as infrared and ultraviolet.

State Codes

State codes are codes used to denote a geographic region, including areas such as states, provinces, and countries.

Static Maps

Static map tiles are pre-rendered map tiles that can be used to quickly render a map image in a browser, app, or other web-based application.

Street Numbers

Street numbers are the numerical addresses assigned to homes, businesses, and other properties. Street numbers are typically assigned by a local municipality and are used to identify a particular location.

Sun-synchronous orbit

A Sun-synchronous orbit is a type of orbit that keeps a satellite in sync with the Sun's position, allowing it to capture images with consistent lighting conditions.

Swath width

Swath width refers to the horizontal distance covered by a satellite sensor as it captures images of the Earth's surface. The width of the swath can vary depending on the sensor and the orbit of the satellite, but it is typically several kilometers wide.

Syntax

Syntax refers to the format and structure of requests for location information, including the specific parameters and values that must be included in the request.

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is a type of radar technology that uses microwave frequencies to create high-resolution images of the Earth's surface.

Tag

A tag in a geocoder is a keyword or label that is associated with a specific location or feature, used to refine or filter search results.

TIGER

TIGER (Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing) is a geographic dataset created by the U.S. Census Bureau for use in GIS (Geographic Information System) applications.

Timestamp

A timestamp is a numerical value used in a geocoder to indicate the exact date and time of an event or action.

Timezone API

Timezone API is a web service that allows existing applications and websites to obtain reliable time zone data for any modern location relative to GMT.