Architecture

Question 1

Client Layer

Answer 1

Web Applications: Browser-based interfaces (like WatchDuty)
Desktop GIS: Professional software like QGIS or ArcGIS Desktop
Mobile Apps: Field data collection and viewing

Question 2

Application Layer

Answer 2

Web Services: RESTful APIs and other web protocols
Map Services: Renders and serves map tiles and features
Geoprocessing: Spatial operations and analysis
Spatial Analysis: Complex geographical computations

Question 3

Data Layer

Answer 3

Vector Data: Points (e.g., emergency locations), lines (routes), polygons (jurisdictions)
Raster Data: Satellite imagery, elevation models
Metadata: Information about your spatial data
Spatial Database: Specialized databases like PostGIS that handle geographic data