GeoPackage
GeoPackage is an open, standards-based, platform-independent file format for storing and exchanging geospatial information, including vector features, tile matrix sets of imagery, and raster data at various scales. It is built on SQLite, making it a lightweight, self-contained, and portable database that can be used across different GIS software and mobile devices. The format is maintained by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) and is designed to replace older formats like shapefiles by offering better performance, extensibility, and support for complex data types.
Developers should learn GeoPackage when working on geospatial applications that require efficient storage, sharing, and analysis of location-based data, such as in mobile mapping apps, web GIS platforms, or environmental monitoring systems. It is particularly useful because it combines the simplicity of a file-based format with the power of a relational database, enabling SQL queries, transactions, and spatial indexing without needing a server setup. Use cases include offline data access in field surveys, data distribution for public datasets, and integration with tools like QGIS, ArcGIS, or custom software using libraries like GDAL.