GIS Tools

Panel Controls

Geometry Conversions

WKT (Well-Known Text)

WKB (Well-Known Binary)

GeoJSON

Lat/Lon Coordinate Converter

H3 Index Converter

Map Visualization

Layer Management

Complete GIS Toolkit: Format Conversion, Spatial Analysis, and Interactive Mapping

GIS Tools is a comprehensive web-based platform for working with geographic data. Convert between WKT, WKB, GeoJSON, H3 hexagonal indices, and latitude/longitude coordinates. Draw geometries directly on the map, perform spatial analysis operations like buffer zones and polygon unions, and export your data in six different formats including KML, CSV, and GPX.

Everything runs locally in your browser for maximum speed and data privacy. Whether you're a GIS analyst debugging database geometries, a developer building location-based applications, or a researcher processing spatial datasets, this toolkit provides the features you need without installing any software.

Supported GIS Data Formats

WKT (Well-Known Text)

Well-Known Text is a text-based format defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) for representing vector geometries. It's human-readable and widely used in spatial databases like PostGIS, Oracle Spatial, SQL Server, and MySQL.

WKT Examples:
POINT(-74.006 40.7128)
LINESTRING(0 0, 10 10, 20 25, 50 60)
POLYGON((0 0, 0 10, 10 10, 10 0, 0 0))
MULTIPOLYGON(((0 0, 0 1, 1 1, 1 0, 0 0)), ((2 2, 2 3, 3 3, 3 2, 2 2)))

WKB (Well-Known Binary)

Well-Known Binary is the binary equivalent of WKT. It's more compact and faster to parse, making it the preferred format for database storage and network transmission. Our tool displays WKB as hexadecimal strings for easy copying into SQL queries.

When to use WKB:
• Storing geometries in PostgreSQL/PostGIS
• Transmitting spatial data over APIs
• Working with large datasets where storage efficiency matters
• Database migrations and ETL pipelines

GeoJSON

GeoJSON is a JSON-based format for encoding geographic features. It's the standard format for web mapping libraries like Leaflet, Mapbox GL JS, OpenLayers, and Google Maps. GeoJSON supports properties alongside geometry, making it ideal for feature-rich applications.

GeoJSON supports:
• Point, LineString, Polygon geometries
• Multi-part geometries (MultiPoint, MultiLineString, MultiPolygon)
• GeometryCollection for mixed types
• Feature properties for attributes and metadata
• FeatureCollection for multiple features

H3 Hexagonal Index

H3 is Uber's hexagonal hierarchical spatial index. Each H3 cell represents a hexagonal area on Earth at one of 16 resolution levels. Our tool converts H3 indices to polygon boundaries, allowing you to visualize and export H3 cells in any format.

H3 Use Cases:
• Ride-sharing and logistics optimization
• Spatial aggregation and analytics
• Location-based indexing at scale
• Hexagonal binning for data visualization

Supported formats: Hex string (e.g., 8f2830828052d2f) or BigInt

Latitude/Longitude Coordinates

Directly input GPS coordinates or copy-paste from Google Maps. Supports both lat, lon and lon, lat ordering with a toggle option. Perfect for quickly converting coordinate pairs to point geometries.

Input formats accepted:
40.7128, -74.0060 (latitude, longitude)
40.7128 -74.0060 (space-separated)
• Batch processing: multiple coordinates, one per line

Export Formats

Export your layers in six different formats to match your workflow requirements:

GeoJSON (.geojson)

Web mapping standard. Works with Leaflet, Mapbox, and most JavaScript mapping libraries.

WKT (.wkt)

Human-readable text format for database queries and spatial SQL operations.

WKB (.wkb)

Binary format for efficient database storage. Exported as hex string.

KML (.kml)

Google Earth and Google Maps compatible format for sharing geographic data.

CSV (.csv)

Spreadsheet format with geometry column. Choose WKT, WKB, or GeoJSON encoding.

GPX (.gpx)

GPS Exchange format for waypoints and tracks. Compatible with GPS devices and fitness apps.

Interactive Drawing Tools

Create geometries directly on the map using our integrated drawing toolbar. All drawn shapes are automatically saved to the layer management system and can be edited, exported, or used in spatial analysis operations.

📍
Point Marker

Click to place point markers at precise locations

📐
Polyline

Draw connected line segments for routes or boundaries

Polygon

Create closed shapes by clicking vertices

Rectangle

Click and drag to draw rectangular regions

Circle

Draw circles with custom radius (converted to 64-segment polygon for GeoJSON compatibility)

All layers can be edited after creation using the edit toolbar. Move vertices, reshape polygons, or delete unwanted features. Changes sync automatically with the layer management panel.

Spatial Analysis Tools

Perform spatial analysis operations on your layers using our built-in GIS tools powered by Turf.js. Select one or more layers, choose a tool, configure parameters, and generate new geometries instantly.

Buffer Tool

Create buffer zones around geometries at a specified distance. Essential for proximity analysis, setback calculations, and impact assessment. Supports kilometers, miles, meters, and feet.

Use cases: Flood zone mapping, service area analysis, wildlife habitat buffers, noise impact zones

Union Tool

Merge multiple polygons into a single combined geometry. Dissolves internal boundaries between overlapping or adjacent polygons.

Use cases: Combining parcels, merging administrative boundaries, creating unified coverage areas

Centroid Tool

Calculate the geometric center point of polygons or feature collections. Useful for labeling, spatial indexing, and finding representative points.

Use cases: Label placement, facility location analysis, center-of-mass calculations

Layer Management System

Work with multiple spatial datasets simultaneously using the layer management panel. Each layer is color-coded by source type: purple for hand-drawn geometries, green for spatial analysis results, and blue for converted or imported data.

Layer Operations

  • Select layers: Click layers in the panel or directly on the map (supports overlapping geometry selection)
  • Zoom/Pan to selection: Focus the map view on selected layers
  • Batch selection: Select all or deselect all layers with one click
  • Delete layers: Remove selected layers or clear all layers
  • Edit geometries: Modify vertices, reshape, or move features using the edit toolbar
  • Export selected: Export only the layers you've selected in your chosen format

Practical Tutorials

Converting PostGIS Data for Web Maps

Scenario: You have WKT geometry from a PostgreSQL/PostGIS query and need to display it on a Leaflet map.

  1. Paste your WKT (e.g., POLYGON((...))) into the WKT input field
  2. Click Convert to process the geometry
  3. The geometry appears on the map and is added to the layer panel
  4. Copy the GeoJSON from the GeoJSON field, or use Export to download as a file
  5. Use the exported GeoJSON directly with L.geoJSON() in your Leaflet application

Creating Buffer Zones for Site Analysis

Scenario: You need to create a 500-meter buffer around a property boundary for environmental impact assessment.

  1. Import your property boundary (GeoJSON, WKT, or draw it on the map)
  2. Click Show Tools in the Panel Controls
  3. Select the property layer in the layer panel
  4. Choose Buffer from the tool dropdown
  5. Enter 500 as the distance and select meters
  6. Click Execute to generate the buffer zone
  7. Export the buffer as KML to view in Google Earth, or as GeoJSON for web maps

Batch Processing H3 Cells

Scenario: You have a list of H3 cell indices from a data pipeline and need to visualize them on a map.

  1. Click the H3 Index Converter header to expand the section
  2. Click the Batch button to open batch processing
  3. Paste your H3 indices (one per line or comma-separated)
  4. Click Process All to convert all cells to polygon boundaries
  5. Each H3 cell becomes a separate layer, named with its index for easy identification
  6. Use Union tool if you need to merge adjacent cells into a single polygon

Importing and Editing KML Files

Scenario: You received a KML file from Google Earth and need to edit the boundaries.

  1. Click Show Exports & Imports in the Panel Controls
  2. In the Import section, select KML (.kml) as the format
  3. Click Choose File to Import and select your KML file
  4. The geometry loads onto the map and appears in the layer panel
  5. Use the edit toolbar (pencil icon) on the map to modify vertices
  6. Export the edited geometry in your preferred format

Use Cases by Industry

Urban Planning & GIS

  • Convert CAD exports to GeoJSON for web portals
  • Create buffer zones for zoning analysis
  • Merge parcels for redevelopment studies
  • Debug geometry errors from database queries

Web Development

  • Convert database geometries to GeoJSON for Leaflet/Mapbox
  • Validate and visualize API response geometries
  • Generate test data for location-based features
  • Convert between coordinate formats for different APIs

Data Science & Analytics

  • Convert H3 cells to polygons for visualization
  • Export spatial data to CSV for analysis in Python/R
  • Calculate centroids for clustering analysis
  • Batch process coordinate lists from datasets

Environmental & Field Work

  • Export field boundaries to GPX for GPS devices
  • Convert survey coordinates to mapping formats
  • Create KML files for Google Earth presentations
  • Generate buffer zones for habitat analysis

Technical Specifications

Supported Geometry Types

  • Point / MultiPoint
  • LineString / MultiLineString
  • Polygon / MultiPolygon
  • GeometryCollection
  • H3 hexagonal cells (all 16 resolution levels)

Standards Compliance

  • OGC Simple Features (WKT/WKB)
  • RFC 7946 (GeoJSON)
  • OGC KML 2.2
  • GPX 1.1
  • Uber H3 Specification

Browser Compatibility

  • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge (latest versions)
  • Mobile browsers (iOS Safari, Chrome for Android)
  • No server-side processing required
  • Works offline after initial page load

Libraries Used

  • Leaflet.js for mapping
  • Turf.js for spatial analysis
  • h3-js for hexagonal indexing
  • wellknown & wkx for WKT/WKB

Privacy and Data Handling

All data processing happens entirely in your browser. Your spatial data is never uploaded to any server. This means:

References