This article is a translation of the US Esri ArcGIS Blog article titled "For Location Services, Pick a PaaS That Supports Open Development. Here’s Why.". It introduces the ArcGIS Location Platform, which emphasizes open development, enables rapid development, and provides a secure environment for scaling up with confidence.
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Choosing location services is often seen as a choice between "the flexibility of open source" or "the reliability of closed systems." However, there is a way to balance scalability and performance.
The "optimal choice" is a Location Platform as a Service (PaaS) offered by providers that support open development. This blog covers the following topics:
- What is Location PaaS?
- Why is open development important when choosing Location PaaS?
- What are the benefits of using Location PaaS that supports open development?
- Why do developers already using other services migrate to ArcGIS?
- How to choose Location PaaS that supports open development?
- Getting started with ArcGIS Location Platform
What is Location PaaS?
Location PaaS is a cloud-based service that provides location services within large-scale enterprise platforms. By using PaaS, you can access these services via APIs and SDKs without building additional infrastructure.
Unlike standalone APIs, point solutions, or cloud platforms, Location PaaS offers comprehensive services. Developers can use a single trusted provider offering multiple functions, allowing them to add features anytime while maintaining a consistent user experience. It also provides enterprise-grade support, security, and compliance. Additionally, sandbox environments, modular APIs, and extensive documentation are available for prototyping and production environments. As a result, development-to-release time is shortened and post-release risks are reduced.
Why is open development important when choosing Location PaaS?
Open development balances the strengths, flexibility, and interoperability of PaaS. When PaaS providers adopt open development, developers can:
- Integrate necessary location services without rebuilding existing apps.
- Continue developing using familiar tools such as open-source libraries, RESTful APIs, and standard data formats.
- Build evolving modular and combinable solutions without being constrained by "All-or-Nothing" architectures.
- Avoid vendor lock-in and ensure compatibility with emerging technologies.
Openness is as essential as functionality and security. Closed-source point solutions that do not support open standards or flexible integration impose unnecessary constraints. Without openness, there is a risk of delayed development cycles, spending time and resources on inadequate solutions or workarounds, and barriers to adopting new technologies.
Esri Leaflet integrates with client-side libraries like Turf.js that perform spatial analysis in the browser. Here we show how to extend spatial query results to extract features spatially related to another geometry.
What are the benefits of using Location PaaS that supports open development?
Here we introduce the actual usage of an open-development-supporting PaaS using Esri's Location PaaS, ArcGIS Location Platform. By using such solutions, developers can:
- Use location services without combining multiple vendors or APIs.PaaS like ArcGIS Location Platform offers comprehensive services from core functions such as mapping, geocoding, elevation, routing to advanced features like data enrichment and spatial analysis.
- Access services through open APIs and integrate with open-source libraries.Services are accessible via RESTful APIs and compatible with tools like Postman and OpenAPI Generator. Using plugins like Esri Leaflet allows developers to easily combine ArcGIS Location Services with open-source mapping libraries.
- Accelerate new and existing app development.Modular APIs and SDKs shorten prototyping-to-release time and simplify integrating services into existing apps without major refactoring. This reduces time-to-market and maximizes previous development investments.
- Build web and mobile apps using SDKs for major programming languages.PaaS supported by enterprise development product teams offers customers wide options including SDKs for JavaScript, iOS, Android, as well as cross-platform frameworks like .NET MAUI and Qt.
- Comprehensive support reduces time spent troubleshooting.Detailed guides, code samples, and prompt technical support are essential for maintaining performance and uptime. Location PaaS providers like Esri offer such enterprise-level support.
- Scale up confidently from prototype to production environments.Enterprise-grade PaaS can support apps of any scale from a few users to thousands. ArcGIS Location Platform provides transparent pay-as-you-go pricing, global infrastructure, and proven reliability.
- Develop using reliable market-leading services and data.Esri's location services are proven enterprise-grade solutions trusted by thousands of organizations worldwide. Developers benefit from reliable data and robust APIs ensuring accuracy, reliability, and long-term support.
On maps displaying power plants, developers can use ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript via ArcGIS Location Platform to create advanced labeling for clusters or individual features using multiple LabelClass objects.
Why do developers already using other services migrate to ArcGIS?
Salesforce needed to update the technology behind its mapping products and began selecting new vendors. “There were many companies on the shortlist but we couldn’t ignore Esri,” says Ben Brantly, former VP of Product at Salesforce. “The new partner needed breakthrough technology I could implement quickly. Esri exceeded my expectations in documentation and practical support. We were operational within weeks.”
How to choose Location PaaS that supports open development?
Whether building internal tools, customer-facing apps, or enterprise-scale systems, you need location service providers that support free development, integration, and innovation. When evaluating solutions consider the following points:
- Comprehensive location service offerings:Choose providers offering more than just maps.ArcGIS Location Platform includes geocoding, routing, basemaps, elevation data, spatial analysis, demographic data among others.See all features of ArcGIS Location Platform.
- Commitment to open standards and API flexibility:Choose a platform that supports open APIs and integrates with tools you already use, such as Esri Leaflet, OpenLayers, MapLibre GL JS, and CesiumJS.Compatibility between ArcGIS developer APIs and open sourceSee more.
- Community support and contributions to open source projects: An active developer community and involvement in open source are proof of a platform evolving together with its users.ArcGIS Location Platform developer communitySee more.
- Data handling policy:Ensure the provider has clear policies regarding data privacy, security, and compliance. Confirm there are policies guaranteeing that user data is neither collected nor monetized.Data hosting by ArcGIS Location PlatformSee more.
- Transparent pricing:Choose providers with clear, usage-based pricing to avoid unexpected costs.Try the ArcGIS Location Platform pricing estimator.
Esri's commitment to open development
1. Support for open source
Esri actively embraces open source. David Cardella, product manager for developer technologies, explains: "We leverage open source in much of the software we develop. We also contribute to open source through our own projects. But most importantly, we provide support when you use open source."
2. Open data and strategic partnerships
Esri partners with organizations like the Overture Maps Foundation to improve map data quality and accessibility. This includes support for seamless switching between ArcGIS and Overture styles, helping developers create reliable, interoperable map data for their apps.
3. Compliance with open APIs
Esri’s services are designed to be developer-friendly and standards-compliant. For example, the elevation service conforms to the OpenAPI specification, allowing developers to quickly prototype and generate SDKs in over 70 languages using tools like Postman and OpenAPI Generator.
Getting started with ArcGIS Location Platform
When choosing a location service provider, you need to balance features with compatibility with your team’s development style.PaaS like ArcGIS Location Platform emphasizes open development, enables rapid development, and provides a secure environment for scaling. Solutions lacking flexibility, openness, service quality, or developer experience will hinder development. Building on a location PaaS ensures your next location-enabled app not only "works" but leads the industry.
Ready to start using ArcGIS Location Platform? Create afree account now!
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