Data Formats: OGC WFS

A OGC Web Feature Service (WFS) service client allows you to insert, update, delete, query and discover geographic features on an OGC server. WFS delivers GML representations of simple geospatial features in response to queries from HTTP clients. Clients access geographic feature data through WFS by submitting a request for just those features that are needed for an application.

The OGC WFS specification defines a standard interface for querying and manipulating geographic data. Queries can be formulated based on various spatial and non-spatial constraints, as defined by the OGC Filter specification.

A WFS provides geographic information in a rich format, without any prior interpretation or rendering, and with full georeferencing. This contrasts with, for instance, the WMS interface, which renders maps on the server side and returns simple images to the client. The default exchange format for geographic features is GML, another OGC standard.

The LuciadLightspeed WFS client API provides a simple framework for connecting to a WFS and retrieving feature data from it. Additionally, support is offered to send transactions to the WFS, enabling users to update, delete and / or insert features on the server.

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