ArcMap

Introduction

ArcMap is the main component of Esri's ArcGIS suite of geospatial processing programs, and is used primarily to view, edit, create, and analyze geospatial data. ArcMap allows the user to explore data within a data set, symbolize features accordingly, and create maps. This is done through two distinct sections of the program, the table of contents and the data frame.

Functionality

ArcMap users can create and manipulate data sets to include a variety of information. For example, the maps produced in ArcMap generally include features such as north arrows, scale bars, titles, legends, neat lines, etc. The software package includes a style-set of these features. As well as the ability to upload numerous other reference styles to apply to any mapping function.

The ArcGIS suite is available at four license levels: Basic, Standard, or Advanced (formerly ArcView, ArcEditor, or ArcInfo), and Pro. Each step up in the license provides the user with more extensions that allow a variety of querying to be performed on a data set. Pro is the highest level of licensing, and allows the user to use such extensions as 3D Analyst, Spatial Analyst, and the Geostatistical Analyst as well as a numerous new functionalities at each new release.