A Web Map Service (WMS) is a standard protocol developed by the Open Geospatial Consortium in 1999 for serving

georeference Georeferencing means that the internal coordinate system of a map or aerial photo image can be related to a geographic coordinate system. The relevant coordinate transforms are typically stored within the image file (GeoPDF and GeoTIFF are example ...

d map images over the Internet. These images are typically produced by a map server from data provided by a GIS database.

History

The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) became involved in developing standards for web mapping after a paper was published in 1997 by Allan Doyle, outlining a "WWW Mapping Framework". The OGC established a task force to come up with a strategy, and organized the "Web Mapping Testbed" initiative, inviting pilot web mapping projects that built upon ideas by Doyle and the OGC task force. Results of the pilot projects were demonstrated in September 1999, and a second phase of pilot projects ended in April 2000. The Open Geospatial Consortium released WMS version 1.0.0 in April 2000, followed by version 1.1.0 in June 2001, and version 1.1.1 in January 2002. The OGC released WMS version 1.3.0 in January 2004.

Requests

WMS specifies a number of different request types, two of which are required by any WMS server: * GetCapabilities – returns parameters about the WMS (such as map image format and WMS version compatibility) and the available layers (map bounding box, coordinate reference systems, URI of the data and whether the layer is mostly opaque or not) * GetMap – returns a map image. Parameters include: width and height of the map, coordinate reference system, rendering style, image format Request types that WMS providers may optionally support include: * GetFeatureInfo – if a layer is marked as 'queryable' then you can request data about a coordinate of the map image. * DescribeLayer – returns the feature types of the specified layer or layers, which can be further described using WFS or WCS requests. This request is dependent on the Styled Layer Descriptor (SLD) Profile of WMS. * GetLegendGraphic – return an image of the map's legend image, giving a visual guide to map elements. All communication is served through HTTP.

Map image

A WMS server usually serves the map in a bitmap format, e.g. PNG, GIF, JPEG, etc. In addition,

vector graphics Vector graphics is a form of computer graphics in which visual images are created directly from geometric shapes defined on a Cartesian plane, such as points, lines, curves and polygons. The associated mechanisms may include vector display ...

can be included, such as points, lines, curves and text, expressed in

SVG Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is an XML-based vector image format for defining two-dimensional graphics, having support for interactivity and animation. The SVG specification is an open standard developed by the World Wide Web Consortium s ...

or WebCGM format.

Software

Open source Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized so ...

software Software is a set of computer programs and associated documentation and data. This is in contrast to hardware, from which the system is built and which actually performs the work. At the lowest programming level, executable code consist ...

that provide web map services capability include: * deegree *

GeoServer In computing, GeoServer is an open-source server written in Java that allows users to share, process and edit geospatial data. Designed for interoperability, it publishes data from any major spatial data source using open standards. GeoServer h ...

MapServer MapServer is an open-source development environment for building spatially enabled internet applications, built in the C language, and is widely known as one of the fastest Web mapping engines available. It can run as a CGI program or via MapSc ...

MapGuide Open Source MapGuide Open Source is a web-based map-making platform that enables users to quickly develop and deploy web mapping applications and geospatial web services. The application was introduced as open-source by Autodesk in November 2005, and the cod ...

QGIS QGIS is a free and open-source cross-platform desktop geographic information system (GIS) application that supports viewing, editing, printing, and analysis of geospatial data. Functionality QGIS functions as geographic information system (GIS) ...

Server Proprietary server software that allow providing web map services include: *

ArcGIS Server ArcGIS Server is the core server geographic information system (GIS) software made by Esri. ArcGIS Server is used for creating and managing GIS Web services, applications, and data. ArcGIS Server is typically deployed on-premises within the orga ...

* ArcIMS * Cubeserv from Terrapixel *GeoWebPublisher from

Bentley Systems Bentley Systems, Incorporated is an American-based software development company that develops, manufactures, licenses, sells and supports computer software and services for the design, construction, and operation of infrastructure. The compan ...

*GeognoSIS from Cadcorp *

GeoMedia Hexagon Geospatial's (a division of Intergraph Corporation) GeoMedia Professional is a geographic information system (GIS) management solution for map generation and the analysis of geographic information with smart tools that capture and edit s ...

Oracle An oracle is a person or agency considered to provide wise and insightful counsel or prophetic predictions, most notably including precognition of the future, inspired by deities. As such, it is a form of divination. Description The word ...

MapViewer *SIAS ( Smallworld Internet Application Server) from GE Energy * Autodesk's Infrastructure Map Server * Manifold System *

Luciad Luciad is an international supplier of geographic information system (GIS) tools. They provide products intended for. geospatial situational awareness. The company mainly focuses on the aviation, defense and security markets, Defence customers ...

's LuciadLightspeed and LuciadFusion products– Luciad solutions
/ref> Open source standalone (client side) software that allow viewing web map services include: *

Marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...

Proprietary standalone (client side) software that allow viewing web map services include: *

Google Earth Google Earth is a computer program that renders a 3D computer graphics, 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. The program maps the Earth by superimposition, superimposing satellite images, aerial photography, and geog ...

Esri Esri (; Environmental Systems Research Institute) is an American multinational geographic information system (GIS) software company. It is best known for its ArcGIS products. With a 43% market share, Esri is the world's leading supplier of GIS ...

ArcGIS & ArcGIS Explorer *

Global Mapper Global Mapper is a geographic information system (GIS) software package currently developed by Blue Marble Geographics that runs on Microsoft Windows. The GIS software competes with ESRI, GeoMedia, Manifold System, and MapInfo GIS products. Globa ...

* Kongsberg Gallium Ltd. InterVIEW / InterMAPhics *

's LuciadLightspeed, LuciadRIA and LuciadMobile products WMS is a widely supported format for maps and GIS data accessed via the Internet and loaded into client side GIS software. Major commercial GIS and mapping software that support WMS include: * Autodesk's Map 3D and Civil 3D products *

' MicroStation, Bentley Map, desktop and server based GIS products * Cadcorp SIS product suite *

D3.js D3.js (also known as D3, short for Data-Driven Documents) is a JavaScript library for producing dynamic, interactive data visualizations in web browsers. It makes use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), HTML5, and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) sta ...

ESRI Esri (; Environmental Systems Research Institute) is an American multinational geographic information system (GIS) software company. It is best known for its ArcGIS products. With a 43% market share, Esri is the world's leading supplier of GIS ...

's ArcGIS products *

* Kinetica * Manifold System *

MapInfo Professional MapInfo Pro is a desktop geographic information system (GIS) software product produced by Precisely (formerly: Pitney Bowes Software and MapInfo Corporation) and used for mapping and location analysis. MapInfo Pro allows users to visualize, ana ...

* Maptitude Mapping Software *

MATLAB MATLAB (an abbreviation of "MATrix LABoratory") is a proprietary multi-paradigm programming language and numeric computing environment developed by MathWorks. MATLAB allows matrix manipulations, plotting of functions and data, implementat ...

and Mapping Toolbox * Qlik Sense * Tableau Open source software that supports WMS include: *

* uDig *

OpenJUMP Java Unified Mapping Program (JUMP) is a Java based vector and raster GIS and programming framework. Current development continues under the 'OpenJUMP'' name. Features As featured on the project's website: * Platform independent ( Windows, ...

NASA World Wind NASA WorldWind is an open-source (released under the NOSA license and the Apache 2.0 license) virtual globe. According to the website (https://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/), "WorldWind is an open source virtual globe API. WorldWind allow ...

* GRASS GIS * GeoTrellis * JOSM * gvSIG * OpenLayers * Leaflet.js * GE Energy's SIAS, an Ajax library, supports WMS for integrating WMS maps into web pages, as does Mapbender

References

External links