Summary
This chapter provided a refresher in the basics of QGIS Desktop and QGIS Browser. We covered how to install the software on several platforms and described the layout of both QGIS Desktop and QGIS Browser. We then covered how to load vector, raster, and database data layers. Next, you were shown how to work with coordinate reference systems and style data. We covered the basics of working with tables, including how to perform a table join. The chapter concluded with a refresher on composing maps, how to find, install, and manage plugins, and a primer on QGIS custom variables.
The next chapter will cover creating spatial databases. Data is the foundation of any GIS. Now that you have had a refresher on the basics of QGIS, it is time to learn how to expand your work to include spatial databases. In Chapter 2, Creating Spatial Databases, you will learn how to create and manage spatial databases within QGIS.