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Clients for map services

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Once you've published your map service to a GIS server, it will be available to clients both locally and on the web. Because of the many capabilities the map service exposes, it can be used in a variety of Esri and non-Esri client applications. These include ArcGIS.com, Portal for ArcGIS, ArcGIS API for JavaScript, ArcGIS for Desktop, mobile, Google Earth, OGC, and AutoCAD applications.

Esri client applications

ArcGIS.com applications

You can use the map viewer and preconfigured templates to build and share GIS maps and applications that work with the map services hosted on your ArcGIS Server site. Additionally, ArcGIS Online has a repository of useful basemaps, data, applications, and tools that you can view and use, plus communities you can join, to help focus your online audience. For more information, see the ArcGIS.com website.

Portal for ArcGIS applications

Portal for ArcGIS includes a map viewer application, preconfigured templates, and a Web AppBuilder for designing and saving web mapping applications. You can add your map services along with other data from your organization and content from ArcGIS Online. Then you can save the application to the Portal for ArcGIS website and share it with others in your organization. To learn more, see Create maps and apps.

ArcGIS for Desktop applications

  • ArcMap
  • ArcGIS Pro
  • ArcGlobe
  • ArcGIS Explorer Desktop
  • ArcReader

Esri Maps for Office

Esri Maps for Office provides mapping capabilities in Microsoft Office through a Microsoft add-in. You can use this add-in with Microsoft Office components to create maps that reference, display, and interact with map services residing on your GIS server. You can download Esri Maps for Office from the Esri website.

ArcGIS for SharePoint

ArcGIS for SharePoint offers interactive and configurable mapping components that can give you a geospatial view of your organization's data. ArcGIS for SharePoint includes a Web Map Part component, which allows you to reference, display, and interact with map services residing on your GIS server.

For more information, see Introduction to ArcGIS for SharePoint.

Explorer for ArcGIS

Explorer for ArcGIS lets everyone in your organization find, analyze, and share map services on their devices. You can visualize data, search for places and features on your maps, sketch on the maps to highlight important features, share maps with other Explorer users, and tell stories with interactive map presentations.

ArcGIS API for JavaScript applications

The ArcGIS API for JavaScript can help you build Internet applications that use your map services. The ArcGIS API is fully documented with conceptual help, samples, and API reference topics to help you become more comfortable programming. See the ArcGIS API for JavaScript home page for more information.

ArcGIS Engine applications

Developers use ArcGIS Engine to deploy GIS data, maps, and geoprocessing scripts in desktop or mobile applications using APIs for the following:

  • Component Object Model (COM)
  • Microsoft .NET
  • Java
  • C++

ArcGIS Engine is a collection of GIS components and developer resources that can be embedded, allowing you to add dynamic mapping and GIS capabilities to existing applications or build custom mapping applications that use GIS services.

Mobile GIS applications

You can use mobile GIS applications to extend the reach of your map services to a broad range of mobile devices including Tablet PCs, in-vehicle mounted systems, Apple iOS devices, Android devices, and Windows smartphones. Once your map services are synced with a mobile device, you can begin viewing, collecting, and updating your geographic information in the field.

For more information, see Mobile data services.

Non-Esri client applications

  • Google Earth (as KML)
  • Web Coverage Service client applications (as OGC WCS)
  • Web Feature Service client applications (as OGC WFS)
  • Web Map Service client applications (as OGC WMS)
  • Web Map Tile Service client applications (as OGC WMTS)
  • Web Processing Service client applications (as OGC WPS)
  • AutoCAD (as ArcGIS for AutoCAD plug-in application)