RFC 7946 Replaces 2008 GeoJSON Specification, Standardizing Geographic Data Exchange
Adopt RFC 7946 GeoJSON format for all geographic data, ensuring support for Point, LineString, Polygon, MultiPoint, MultiLineString, and MultiPolygon types.
Adopt RFC 7946 GeoJSON format in your projects to ensure compatibility with modern mapping libraries.
Summary
GeoJSON is a JSON‑based format for encoding geographic data structures, standardized by RFC 7946 in August 2016.
The specification defines six geometry types—Point, LineString, Polygon, MultiPoint, MultiLineString, and MultiPolygon—each represented as a geometry object with a type and coordinates array. Feature objects combine a geometry with arbitrary properties, while FeatureCollection objects aggregate multiple features into a single container. RFC 7946 replaces the 2008 GeoJSON specification and introduces stricter validation rules, such as enforcing coordinate order and disallowing duplicate keys. The format is widely supported by mapping libraries and GIS tools, making it the de‑facto standard for web‑based geographic data exchange. Developers should adopt the RFC 7946 schema to ensure interoperability and future‑proof their applications. The specification also clarifies that geometries must be valid, with polygons requiring closed rings and no self‑intersections. By using the updated standard, projects can avoid compatibility issues with newer mapping APIs and benefit from improved error handling.
Key changes
- RFC 7946 published August 2016, replacing 2008 spec
- Defines six geometry types: Point, LineString, Polygon, MultiPoint, MultiLineString, MultiPolygon
- Feature objects combine geometry with properties
- FeatureCollection aggregates multiple features
- Enforces coordinate order and disallows duplicate keys
- Polygons must have closed rings and no self‑intersections
- Widely supported by mapping libraries and GIS tools
- Improves error handling and interoperability