MapWindow GIS

Spec sheet

Support

The project directs technical questions to its discussion forum and bug reports or feature requests to its issue tracker.Read 9 Oct 2026 · mapwindow.org

License

The site says its tools and applications use the MIT license and may be used in commercial products.Read 9 Oct 2026 · mapwindow.org

Founded

1998Read 28 Sep 2026 · mapwindow.org

Customization

MapWindow5 uses the Managed Extensibility Framework for plugins and toolbox tools, with examples including buffering and clipping.Read 9 Oct 2026 · mapwindow.org

Developer control

MapWinGIS is a C++ ActiveX control and API that can add mapping functionality to Windows Forms applications written in Visual Basic, C#, Delphi, or other languages supporting ActiveX.Read 9 Oct 2026 · mapwindow.org

Developer library

DotSpatial is a GIS library written for .NET 4 that lets developers add spatial data, analysis, and mapping functions to applications.Read 9 Oct 2026 · mapwindow.org

Documentation

MapWindow5 documentation is still under construction, while MapWinGIS has API documentation and C# code samples.Read 9 Oct 2026 · mapwindow.org

Hydrology

HydroDesktop helps users discover, download, visualize, and analyze hydrologic and climate data registered with the CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System.Read 9 Oct 2026 · mapwindow.org

Maker and start date

The site identifies Daniel P. Ames as co-founder and says he started the MapWindow project in 1998; it does not state a headquarters or company founding date.Read 9 Oct 2026 · mapwindow.org

MapWindow5

MapWindow5 is a desktop GIS that can be extended with plugins and uses MapWinGIS as its mapping engine.Read 9 Oct 2026 · mapwindow.org

Processing

MapWindow5 includes a toolbox with restartable tasks and supports multithreaded tools.Read 9 Oct 2026 · mapwindow.org

Product scope

The MapWindow GIS project includes an open-source desktop GIS, an extensible plugin architecture, a GIS ActiveX control, and the DotSpatial C# GIS programmer library.Read 9 Oct 2026 · mapwindow.org

Project management

The project says it is managed by volunteers and supported by donations.Read 9 Oct 2026 · mapwindow.org

Release status

The MapWindow5 GitHub releases page lists v5.6 as a stable version and says its internal version number is v5.6.3.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Spatial databases and services

MapWindow5 supports geo-databases including PostGIS, MS-SQL Spatial, and SpatiaLite, as well as WMS.Read 9 Oct 2026 · mapwindow.org

Plans and prices

Every MapWindow GIS plan and price →

Where Specifiction places it

• GIS Software#27 of 647.8