Introduction to raster analysis

What is raster analysis?

Raster analysis is the process of using client-side APIs or services to solve a geospatial problem with raster data. To perform client-side analysis you can use the ArcGIS Maps SDKsArcGIS Maps SDKs are developer products for building mapping and spatial analysis applications for web browsers, native devices, and game engines.Learn more and to perform server-side analysis you use the raster analysis serviceThe raster analysis service is a service that can be used to perform operations on raster data such as pattern analysis, summarization, proximity analysis, data conversion and performing deep learning analysis.Learn more. When using the raster analysis service you can use operations or functions to perform analysis such as detecting patterns, data classification, deep learning analysis, data summarization, multidimensional analysis and raster data management. The operation you use depends on the type of problem you are trying to solve.

This section describes how to perform analysis with the raster analysis service.

Why use raster analysis service?

The raster analysis service provides the functionality to perform quantitative analysis, modeling, and visualization of continuous geographic phenomena. It is particularly well-suited for analyzing phenomena like elevation, slope, aspect, chemical concentrations, and other variables that can be represented as a continuous raster surface.

How to access the raster analysis service

You can use the raster analysis service using toolsTools, also known as developer tools, are ArcGIS software applications such as portal and ArcGIS Pro that developers can use to prepare content and data for custom applications they are building.Learn more and 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. When accessing the service with tools such as Map ViewerMap Viewer is a browser-based mapping tool that can view, create, and save web maps. It can also perform mapping, visualization, and spatial analysis operations.Learn more or ArcGIS ProArcGIS Pro is a professional desktop GIS application that can explore, visualize, analyze, and manage 2D and 3D data.Learn more, or with ArcGIS APIs such as the ArcGIS API for Python, the system will automatically find the appropriate service URL based on your ArcGIS accountAn ArcGIS account is an identity with a user type and set of privileges that can access specific ArcGIS products, tools, APIs, services, and resources. The main account types that can be used for development are an ArcGIS Location Platform account, ArcGIS Online account, and ArcGIS Enterprise account. ArcGIS Location Platform and ArcGIS Online accounts are also associated with a subscription.Learn more and portalArcGIS portal, also known as a portal, is a website with applications and tools that can be used to create, manage, access, and share geospatial content and data. It supports security and authentication, developer credentials, content and data service management, user and group management, and site administration. A portal can be hosted in Esri's infrastructure or your own infrastructure.Learn more.

To access the service directly, you need find the service URL by making a /self request to your portal. The service URL will be in the helperServices.rasterAnalytics.url property of the response. To optimize performance, service URLs are unique to each instance of a portal.

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"helperServices":{
  "rasterAnalytics": {
    "url": "https://{YOUR_ANALYSIS_SERVICE}/arcgis/rest/services/RasterAnalysisTools/GPServer"
  },
}

Example: https://rasteranalysis3.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/RasterAnalysisTools/GPServer

What are the different ways to perform an analysis?

There are two different methods you can use to perform a raster analysis.

• Raster operations: This method of analysis requires a asynchronous server-side request to an REST API endpoint to perform a single raster operation applied to an entire raster dataset. Typically, this results in a new raster dataset.
• Raster functions: This method of analysis allows you to chain together multiple operations in a request without the need of creating intermediate datasets. Raster Functions can also be utilized to perform client-side analysis and on-the-fly visualization using client APIsA Client API is a web, native, or scripting Application Programming Interface (including all ArcGIS, open source, and third-party APIs) that has mapping capabilities and can be used to access ArcGIS location services.Learn more.

Tutorials

Perform an analysis using raster operations

Learn how to perform raster analysis using a raster operation

Map ViewerPython APIREST JSREST API

Create a raster function template

Perform a raster analysis with a raster function template.

Map ViewerPython APIREST JSREST API

API support

Tools