Geometry vs feature analysis

Client vs server-side

The main difference between geometry and feature analysis is geometry analysis is typically performed on the client-side using ArcGIS APIs and feature analysis is performed on the server-side using ArcGIS APIs that access the spatial analysis service. The other main difference is geometry analysis only evaluates geometries whereas feature analysis can evaluate both geometry and attribute values.

APIs

For geometry analysis, you typically use APIs such as the ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript or ArcGIS Maps SDKs for Native Apps to execute synchronous or asynchronous client-side operations in a client application on a device.

For feature analysis, you use APIs such as the ArcGIS API for Python, ArcGIS REST JS, or the ArcGIS REST API to execute the requests to the service. All transactions are job requests (long transactions) and require multiple transactions to the service to process the job, monitor the status, and then get the results.

Data size

Feature analysis with the spatial analysis service is designed to process large collections of features. The features can be input as feature collections (JSON) or hosted feature layers. Geometry analysis typically involves smaller collections of geometry data that you create from user input or other data sources.

Store results

Another important difference is that you can use feature analysis to persist the results as a hosted feature layer in ArcGIS. This makes it easy to access the data afterward with ArcGIS tools and software. Geometry analysis requires extra steps to create features and store the results in ArcGIS.

Comparison

The table below provides a quick comparison between the two types of analyses:

* See API support for more information.

Tutorials

Find data sources

Discover data in ArcGIS that you can use for feature analysis.

ArcGIS Online ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World ArcGIS Hub 

Create data sources

Import, create, and generate data for feature analysis.

ArcGIS Online Developer dashboard 

Enrich data sources

Enrich data with demographic information and local business facts using the spatial analysis service.

Map Viewer Python ArcGIS REST JS REST 

Find and extract data

Find data with attribute and spatial queries using find analysis operations.

Map Viewer Python ArcGIS REST JS REST 

Combine data

Overlay, join, and dissolve features using combine analysis operations.

Map Viewer Python ArcGIS REST JS REST 

Summarize data

Aggregate and summarize features using summarize analysis operations.

Map Viewer Python ArcGIS REST JS REST 

Discover patterns in data

Find patterns and trends in data using spatial analysis operations.

Map Viewer Python ArcGIS REST JS REST 

Services

API support

Geometry analysis

Feature analysis

Tools