Software modules: general functionality

On the basis level, there is the system software, which includes the operating system (OS) and its services such as file operations and internet connectivity. We will talk about this in a little more detail in the next unit 'System architecture'. On a higher level there are specific software such as the database application and the GIS application itself, which make use of functions provided by the operating system. Some GIS come with a small database already integrated, but in order to process larger quantities of data you need an additional full stand-alone database server. Another module is the user interface (UI), which can be considered as software as well as hardware. Some of its functions are provided by the operating system, some by the application itself.

Click on the text buttons (User interface, GIS software, etc.) to display the corresponding information.