Types of feature analysis

You can perform many different types of analyses with the feature analysis serviceA spatial analysis service, also known as a feature analysis service, is a service used to perform spatial analysis operations on feature data such as finding, comparing, summarizing, analyzing patterns, and calculating geometries.Learn more.

The operations are categorized into the following:

1. Find data
2. Combine data
3. Summarize data
4. Analyze patterns
5. Calculate geometries

Click on the links below to learn how to execute each operation programmatically with ArcGIS APIsAn ArcGIS API is a web, native, game engine, or scripting API that has advanced mapping and spatial analysis capabilities and can be used to access ArcGIS services. ArcGIS APIs are designed to work optimally with the ArcGIS system and provide the most advanced GIS features and the highest performance possible.Learn more and the ArcGIS REST APIArcGIS REST APIs are the API specifications for all ArcGIS location services and ArcGIS Enterprise services. They define the operations, parameters, and structures required to make HTTPS requests.Learn more.

Find data

Find data operations allow you to find feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more with a SQL or spatial query or to export feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more to create new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more.

Operation	Description	Input data	Output data	Example
Find existing locations	Selects featuresA feature is a single record, also known as a row, that represents a real-world entity. It typically contains a geometry (point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon) and attributes but it can also contain just attributes.Learn more that satisfy one or more SQL and/or spatial expressions and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more.	Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Derive new locations	Selects and can modify featuresA feature is a single record, also known as a row, that represents a real-world entity. It typically contains a geometry (point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon) and attributes but it can also contain just attributes.Learn more to satisfy one or more SQL and/or spatial expressions and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more.	Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Extract features	Selects and exports featuresA feature is a single record, also known as a row, that represents a real-world entity. It typically contains a geometry (point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon) and attributes but it can also contain just attributes.Learn more that satisfy a SQL and/or spatial expression and creates new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more stored as a file in a new itemAn item, also known as a content item, is a resource stored in a portal such as a web map, hosted layer, style, script tool, file, or notebook.Learn more. Feature data can be converted to CSV, KML, file geodatabase, or shapefile format.	Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Point, line, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more in a file in a itemAn item, also known as a content item, is a resource stored in a portal such as a web map, hosted layer, style, script tool, file, or notebook.Learn more

Combine data

Combine data operations allow you to merge, overlay, and join multiple sources of feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more to create new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more.

Operation	Description	Input data	Output data	Example
Merge layers	Combines two feature datasetsFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more and returns a new a feature datasetFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more. The input feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more must contain the same type of geometry (point, polyline, or polygon). Attributes can be added, removed, renamed, or matched.	Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Overlay layers	Combines two or more feature datasetsFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more using intersect, union, or erase and returns a new feature datasetFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more. All of the feature attributes are persisted in the output feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more.	Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Join features	Combines the attributes from one feature datasetFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more to another based on spatial and/or attribute relationships and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more. The type of attribute and spatial relationship join operations can be specified. Feature geometry and attribute summary statistics can also be generated.	Point, polyline, polygon, or table feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Point, polyline, polygon, or table feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Dissolve boundaries	Combines polygons from feature datasetsFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more that overlap or share a common boundary and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more. Feature geometry and attribute summary statistics can also be generated.	Polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more

Summarize data

Summarize data operations allow you to calculate spatial and attribute statistics on feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more to create new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more.

Operation	Description	Input data	Output data	Example
Aggregate points	Finds which points fall inside polygons using a point-in-polygon spatial relationship and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more. Feature geometry and attribute statistics are also generated for the number of points in each polygon.	Point or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Summarize nearby	Finds featuresA feature is a single record, also known as a row, that represents a real-world entity. It typically contains a geometry (point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon) and attributes but it can also contain just attributes.Learn more within a specified distance of other feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more. The distance measure can be a straight line or defined by travel mode (e.g. drive time or distance). Feature geometry and attribute statistics are also generated.	Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Summarize within	Finds areas (and portions of areas) that overlap between two feature datasetsFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more, calculates statistics about the overlap, and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more. Additional feature geometry and attribute statistics are also generated.	Polygon features Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Summarize center and dispersion	Finds central featuresA feature is a single record, also known as a row, that represents a real-world entity. It typically contains a geometry (point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon) and attributes but it can also contain just attributes.Learn more and directional distribution in feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more. It calculates the central, mean center, median center, or ellipse of features to determine the distribution.	Point, line, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more

Analyze patterns

Analyze patterns operations allow you to perform complex geometry, attribute, and statistic calculations to identify spatial patterns and relationships in feature data. All operations result in new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more.

Operation	Description	Input data	Output data	Example
Find hot spots	Finds spatially and statistically significant clusters of featuresA feature is a single record, also known as a row, that represents a real-world entity. It typically contains a geometry (point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon) and attributes but it can also contain just attributes.Learn more with high values (red hot spots) and low values (blue cold spots) and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more. Calculations can be performed on geometries or geometries and attributes.	Point or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Point or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Find outliers	Finds spatial and statistical anomalies in clusters of feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more. Features are assigned colors from red, blue, to beige (significantly high outlier to significantly low outlier).	Point or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Point or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Find point clusters	Finds clusters of point features at a specified distance and using unsupervised machine learning clustering algorithms and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more.	Point feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Point feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Calculate density	Finds areas in feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more that are the most and least dense and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more. It spreads known quantities of some phenomenon (represented as attributes of the points or lines) to create polygon features.	Point or line feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Interpolate points	Finds and predicts new featuresA feature is a single record, also known as a row, that represents a real-world entity. It typically contains a geometry (point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon) and attributes but it can also contain just attributes.Learn more and attributeAttributes are fields and values for a single feature or non-spatial record. They are typically stored in a database or service such as a feature service.Learn more values in point feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more. Parameters can be used to control the speed and accuracy of the analysis.	Point feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more

Calculate geometries

Calculate geometries operations allow you to perform different types of geometric calculations on feature data and to create new feature data such as grids, tessellations, and bins.

Operation	Description	Input data	Output data	Example
Create buffers	Creates areas at a distance around a point, line, or polygon featureA feature is a single record, also known as a row, that represents a real-world entity. It typically contains a geometry (point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon) and attributes but it can also contain just attributes.Learn more and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more.	Point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Find centroids	Finds the representative center (centroid) of each multipoint, polyline, or polygon featureA feature is a single record, also known as a row, that represents a real-world entity. It typically contains a geometry (point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon) and attributes but it can also contain just attributes.Learn more and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more.	Multipoint, point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more	Multipoint, point, polyline, or polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more
Generate tessellations	Creates equally sized square, hexagon, triangle, or diamond geometryA geometry is a geometric shape, such as a point, polyline, or polygon, that contains one or more coordinates and a spatial reference.Learn more bins for an area or extent and returns new feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more.	Not required	Polygon feature dataFeature data is a general term for one or more features, which are records that represent real-world geographic entities, stored as a feature collection, feature layer, or hosted feature layer.Learn more