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Octo × Open-source GIS · survey of Oct 31, 2026

The whole map, with no license to pay. By script and SQL.

Three hundred files to convert, the atlas of forty municipalities, the layer published in WMS, the web map that opens without a server, the month's NDVI clipped to the project area, the field form that comes back checked. All with free and open-source tools: QGIS, PostGIS, GDAL, GeoServer, MapLibre, QField. Octo reads, writes the script, generates into an output folder and shows the result by its content. The map and the public service stay with people.

See the tools See the pages
A map in four stacked layers: satellite image, land use, hydrography and roads with field points Four plates in perspective, one above the other, like the layers of a GIS project. At the bottom, a false-color satellite image, with vegetation in red, bare soil in beige and water in dark blue. Above, land-use polygons in shades of blue and green. Then, rivers and a lagoon in cyan. On top, roads in white and field collection points in green. On the right, each layer has a label with the format and the tool that produces it: optimized GeoTIFF read by GDAL, polygons in PostGIS, hydrography in GeoPackage and points coming from QField. All data is fictitious. field pointsQField · .gpkg hydrographyGeoPackage land usePostGIS satelliteCOG · GDAL SIRGAS 2000 · fictitious layers 2 km
Illustration: a GIS project in four layers, from the satellite to the field points, fictitious data
Tracks8one page per stage of the work
Sources33listed at the end of the page
Confirmed39points with a published source across the eight pages
01

Octo working with open-source GIS.

One task from request to approval, at a fictitious company. The arms measure, plan and execute; whoever is in charge checks and approves. Each tab is one track of the field and links to its page.

Octo · task #815 · Várzea Geo Mapeamentos (fictional company)

Featured pagesPostGIS →GDAL and Python →

Simulation with a made-up company and names. The standards, versions and software cited come from the field's pages, each with its own sources.
02

Free and open tools.

From the database to the web map, from the satellite image to the field form, every step has a mature open-source tool. Version and license read on the project's official page, in the package's official registry or in the repository's license file, on Oct 31, 2026.

ToolWhat forLicenseCurrent versionSource
QGISDesktop GIS, PyQGIS, processing, layouts and atlasesGNU GPLv2+4.2.3 and LTR 3.44.15, current binaries according to the roadmap ("Currently available binaries"), both from Sep 25, 2026; a new release every four monthsqgis.org · roadmap
PostgreSQLRelational database that hosts PostGISPostgreSQL License18.6 (Aug 13, 2026)postgresql.org
PostGISGeometry, spatial index, topology and raster in the databaseGNU GPL v2 or later3.7.0 (Oct 30, 2026)postgis.net · news
GDAL/OGRRead, convert and reproject raster and vector on the command lineMIT (some files BSD)3.13.3 (Aug 18, 2026)gdal.org · download
GeoPandas, Shapely, rasterioVector, geometry and raster in PythonBSD-3-Clause1.2.0, 2.2.0 and 1.5.2pypi.org · geopandas
GeoServerOGC server (WMS, WFS, WMTS, WCS) with SLD stylesGNU GPL 2.03.0.2 (stable) and 2.28.6 (maintenance)geoserver.org · download
MapServerOGC map server driven by a configuration fileMIT-style8.6.6 (Sep 6, 2026)repository · license
OpenLayersFull web map, with OGC and projectionsBSD 2-Clause10.11.0openlayers.org
LeafletLightweight web mapBSD-2-Clause1.9.4 stable; 2.0.0-alpha.1 in testingleafletjs.com
MapLibre GL JSWebGL web map with vector tilesBSD-3-Clause6.16.0 (Oct 25, 2026)npm · maplibre-gl
PMTilesA tile pyramid in a single file, served over plain HTTPBSD-3-Clause4.5.0 (JavaScript library)npm · pmtiles
GRASSRaster and vector analysis, hydrology, batchGNU GPL v2 or later8.5.0grass.osgeo.org
QFieldField collection with QGIS projects, on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and LinuxGNU GPL v2 or laterThe official page does not show the numberqfield.org
The open-source tool stack, from open data to the published map and back from the field Left-to-right flow in five columns. Open data: OpenStreetMap, Sentinel, Landsat and a base map. Conversion: GDAL/OGR and the Python stack. Database: PostgreSQL with PostGIS in the center. Two lines come out of the database: one to the desktop, with QGIS and GRASS, which produces layouts and atlases; another to the servers, GeoServer, MapServer and QGIS Server, which publish WMS, WFS and OGC API for the web maps in OpenLayers, Leaflet and MapLibre. Below, QField takes the project to the field and returns the collected points to the database. A strip at the bottom is a reminder of who approves: the technical lead, the cartographer and the server administrator. Names as text only, no logos. OPEN DATACONVERSIONDATABASEDESKTOP AND SERVERPUBLISHING OpenStreetMapODbL · attributionSentinel-2Copernicus · freeLandsatUSGS · no costbase map GDAL/OGRogr2ogr · gdalwarp PythonGeoPandas · rasterio PostgreSQL + PostGIS QGIS · GRASSlayouts · atlas · analysisqgis_process GeoServer · MapServerQGIS ServerWMS · WFS · OGC API PDF mapbatch atlascartographer approves OpenLayersLeafletMapLibre QField in the fieldQGIS project out, checked points back ✓ every step with an open-source license · human approval of the data, the map and the public service
Illustration: the open-source tool stack, from open data to the published map and back from the field, fictitious data
03

One page per step of the workflow.

With what each tool offers, how it is automated by script, SQL, configuration or API, where Octo can help and what is confirmed by a published source.

Thematic map of twelve fictitious municipalities, classified into five vegetation cover ranges On the left, a choropleth map with twelve fictitious municipalities, named M-01 to M-12, colored in five vegetation cover ranges, from dark blue (up to 20%) to green (above 80%), with each one's value written in the center, a compass rose and a scale bar. On the right, the legend of the five ranges, the fictitious data source and a check panel: twelve valid geometries, no municipality without a value, SIRGAS 2000 reference system and the attribution required by the data license. Below, the notice that the cartographer approves the map before it goes out. All values are fictitious. M-0114% M-0286% M-0352% M-0433% M-0571% M-0618% M-0791% M-0864% M-0977% M-1045% M-1129% M-1211% N 20 km · SIRGAS 2000 · fictitious municipalities vegetation cover (%) up to 20 20 to 40 40 to 60 60 to 80 above 80 fictitious classification, fictitious year check before the PDF ✓ 12 valid geometries ✓ no municipality without a value ✓ SIRGAS 2000 in every layer ✓ license attribution in the footer ! cartographer approves before it goes out
Illustration: thematic vegetation cover map with legend and check before the PDF, fictitious data

Desktop QGIS

QGIS LTR, PyQGIS, headless models and processing, batch layouts and atlases, GRASS and SAGA inside QGIS. Octo can generate each municipality's atlas with the same layout and check it page by page.

Batch atlas11 published sources
Open the page →

PostgreSQL and PostGIS

Geometry, spatial indexes, topology, routing with pgRouting and data quality reports in SQL. Octo can list invalid geometries and overlaps before any fix.

Quality in SQL12 published sources
Open the page →

GDAL and Python

GDAL/OGR on the command line, COG and GeoParquet, GeoPandas, Shapely and rasterio, batch conversions. Octo can convert hundreds of files to an open format and prove that nothing was lost.

Batch conversion11 published sources
Open the page →

OGC servers

GeoServer, MapServer and QGIS Server: WMS, WFS, WMTS, OGC API, SLD styles and security. Octo can publish the layer by API, request a map back and check who can access it.

Checked service13 published sources
Open the page →

Web maps and tiles

OpenLayers, Leaflet and MapLibre GL, vector tiles with tippecanoe, PMTiles and Martin, static hosting. Octo can build a web map that opens from a single file, with no map server.

Serverless map11 published sources
Open the page →

Satellite imagery

Sentinel-2, Landsat and CBERS, STAC catalogs, indices such as NDVI, Orfeo ToolBox, mosaics and clips. Octo can find the scene with the least cloud, clip the project area and measure the index.

Clipped scene12 published sources
Open the page →

Field data collection

QField, Mergin Maps, ODK and KoboToolbox: forms, sync, photos and checks on return. Octo can prepare the field project and check every point that comes back, with personal data handled together with the data protection officer.

Checked form13 published sources
Open the page →

Migration from proprietary

Moving off ArcGIS or MapGuide: equivalents, FileGDB to GeoPackage and PostGIS, symbology, services, costs and risks. Octo can inventory what exists and measure what changes before any decision.

Migration inventory12 published sources
Open the page →
04

Eight arms, one checked map.

The same Octo cycle, applied to layers, databases, services and forms. Each arm has a narrow role; people approve the data, the map and the public service.

  1. Discovery

    Maps what already exists

    Folders and file formats, reference systems, database tables, QGIS projects, published services and styles.

  2. Data

    Pins down the references

    The project's official reference system, database schema, required attributes, source and license of each layer.

  3. Security

    Handles access

    No service opens to the internet without the administrator, database passwords kept out of the code, personal field data (LGPD).

  4. Architecture

    Chooses the path

    GDAL on the command line, SQL in PostGIS, QGIS processing, an OGC server or a static map, depending on the task.

  5. Development

    Writes the script

    Python, SQL, shell or configuration, with a log, an output folder or test schema and the source of each operation noted.

  6. Review

    Checks by content

    Counts features, validates geometries, measures areas, requests a map from the service and compares. The command finishing without errors is not enough.

  7. Release

    Deliverable for approval

    Only with your OK, it loads into the production database or publishes the service. Public exposure stays with the server administrator.

  8. Documentation

    Leaves a record

    Script, query, style, license and attribution of each data set, what was checked and what was decided are written down.

05

Each task, its own path.

The criteria Octo uses to choose. From what runs on a headless server to what needs QGIS open for visual review.

PathGood forNote
GDAL/OGR on the command lineConvert, reproject, clip and inventory files in batchNo interface; runs on a server
SQL in PostGISValidate geometry, index, overlay layers, routing with pgRoutingRepeatable query; changes only with a count and a rollback
Python (GeoPandas, rasterio)Analysis, check and reportOn files or the database, in an output folder
QGIS processing and PyQGISBatch models, layouts and atlasesHeadless when possible; visual review by sample
OGC server and REST APIWMS, WFS, WMTS and OGC APIPublic exposure with the server administrator
Static web map with PMTilesMap that opens without a map serverData license attribution always visible
STAC catalogSearch, clip and measure satellite scenesCloud cover checked before measuring
QField and ODK formsField collection and syncPersonal data with the data protection officer
A vector tile pyramid in a single file, read by the browser in parts On the left, a tile pyramid at three zoom levels: one tile at level 0, four at level 1 and sixteen at level 2, with one tile highlighted. In the middle, a single file named lotes.pmtiles, with header, directory and tile blocks, stored on ordinary static hosting. On the right, a browser window with a web map of fictitious blocks and lots drawn with vector tiles, one lot selected with its attributes and the data attribution in the corner. Arrows show the browser requesting only the bytes of the tile it needs. All data is fictitious. z0z1z2 pyramid · vector tiles lotes.pmtiles header directory ordinary static hosting lot L-117 · 412 m² · block Q-08 © data attribution bytesz2 ✓ one file, no map server · only the bytes of the requested tile ! data license attribution always visible on the map
Illustration: vector tile pyramid in a PMTiles file read by the browser in parts, fictitious data
A false-color satellite scene clipped to the project area and turned into a vegetation index On the left, a clip of a satellite scene in a false-color composite, with near-infrared, red and green bands: vegetation in shades of red, bare soil in beige, the urban area in light cyan and a lake in dark blue, with the project area boundary dashed. In the middle, the formula of the normalized difference vegetation index. On the right, a fictitious histogram of the index inside the area, with three ranges: water and soil, sparse vegetation and dense vegetation, and a panel with 3% cloud cover, the fictitious scene date and the measured area. All values are fictitious. false color · NIR, R, G · fictitious scene dashed: project area NDVI (NIR−R)/(NIR+R) NDVI inside the area −0.20.40.9 ✓ cloud in the area: 3% scene from Sep 12 (fictional) dense vegetation: 61% of the area ! interpretation: technical lead
Illustration: false-color satellite scene clipped to the project area and the measured NDVI, fictitious data
06

From loose files to a workflow with a record.

Three steps. Each one only makes sense after the previous one has shown results on your team.

A proposal, not a promise

1 Today

Inventory, without changing anything

Octo shows what exists: files by format and reference system, database tables, projects, services and the data licenses.

  • Spreadsheet by layer, format, reference system and source
  • Invalid geometries and layers with no known license
  • What depends on paid software and what is already open source
Benefit: know the size of the collection before deciding
2 Next

Checked batch

Conversions, atlases, clips and database loads come out of scripts, into an output folder or test schema, with a check report.

  • Open format and reference system by design
  • A feature with a problem goes to review
  • Nothing goes to production without approval
Benefit: the team reviews the exception, not every file
3 Later

Workflow with a record

The monthly layer update, the year's atlas and the field campaign run the same way, with who approved and what changed.

  • Scripts, styles and projects under version control
  • Who approved each service publication
  • License attribution reviewed on every load
Benefit: the next update costs less than the first
07

What this page is, and what it isn't.

Only what has a published source goes into the field's pages: every point carries its reference, and every page ends with its list of sources.

39

points with a published source across the field's eight pages, each with its reference on the page itself.

Illustrations with fictitious data
Maps, layers, tiles, satellite scenes and screens are original SVG drawings. No product screenshots, no logos. Municipalities, values and coordinates do not correspond to real places, people or companies.Caption "Illustration: ... fictitious data" on each one
Data license
Open-source software does not waive the data license: OpenStreetMap requires credit and the ODbL notice; MapBiomas requires a citation (CC BY 4.0). The attribution appears on every map and service.openstreetmap.org · copyright
08

What Octo does and what stays with you.

Octo prepares everything, but it does not sign. The document of record stays with whoever is accountable for it.

Octo prepares

Surveys, calculates, organizes and produces the documents: spreadsheets, reports, maps and drafts.

Deliverable: material ready to check

Your team checks

The licensed professional checks what Octo delivered before signing. If something doesn't add up, it goes back to Octo with the correction.

Step: review by the signer

The signer

Octo does not sign. Projects, technical reports, ART/RRT, accountability reports and any official document are still signed by the company's or agency's licensed professional: here, the technical lead for the map or the survey.

Signature: technical lead for the map or survey
09

Sources.

Primary sources, consulted on Oct 31, 2026. Each page of the field ends with its full list.

What repetitive work is holding up your map?

The assessment starts by reading the files, the database and the projects your team already has, without changing anything. You get the inventory and a map of what can be converted, generated or checked in batch with open-source tools, with a dry run on a known case, and you decide with it in hand.

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