Boundless, a provider of open source geospatial software has released an updated version of its GIS suite. Additionally, the company announced a new Boundless software development kit (SDK) and contributions to the community release of GeoServer 2.11.
Boundless offers a full suite of GIS tools for developers, enterprises and individual users on an open-source platform. The new updates expand Boundless’ support for new operating systems add capabilities developers had asked for.
“This is a significant update for us,” Andy Dearing, CEO of Boundless tells CivSource. “One of the more interesting things from a geospatial side is that we have incorporated Mapbox Styles. We are using their open source engine to support integration all the way from the server to the visualization sampling.” Dearing adds that the update will allow for consistency in the development of geospatial tools across desktop, web, and mobile.
In addition to the updated suite, the new SDK supports web mapping applications that leverage the OpenLayers 3 library using Flux and React frameworks. It also powers the web application builder in Boundless Desktop, which lets users create new applications without having to write new code. “We wanted to be proactive and incorporate the new version of OpenLayers,” Dearing notes. “We have also published everything on GitHub and are accepting new commits that improve integration.”
Alongside platform updates, Dearing says Boundless is adding a variety of new data partnerships and will be launching a new API at the end of the year. Last week, Boundless announced a strategic partnership with Planet, an integrated aerospace and data analytics company that operates a fleet of Earth-imaging satellites. This partnership enables Boundless customers to access Planet’s library of imagery and fast-loading basemaps within the Boundless Connect ecosystem.
According to Dearing, the partnership with Planet is an example of relationships the company expects to build over the remainder of the year. “We want to create a rich ecosystem of data and capabilities around Boundless that enhance the user experience,” he said.
