Spatial analysis and geoprocessing are both used to analyze geographic data, but they have different purposes:
- Spatial analysis : A broader process that involves acquiring, analyzing, and presenting geospatial data. It can help solve problems and answer questions about the world around us. For example, you can use spatial analysis to:
- Find clusters
- Detect change over time
- Make sense of complex road networks
- Assess trends
- Study the characteristics of places and the relationships among them
- Geoprocessing : Provides the tools and framework for analyzing data. It can help with:
- Managing geographic data
- Sharing the tools, techniques, data, and science used in your analysis
- Performing spatial analysis
You can use spatial analysis and geoprocessing together in a geographic information system (GIS). For example, you can use ArcGIS Pro to:
- Combine information from many sources
- Derive new information by applying spatial operators
- Analyze various layers to calculate the suitability of a place for a particular activity
- Use image analysis to detect change over time
You can also use QGIS, an open source (free) GIS software.