Introduction

A spatial database is nothing but a standard database that can store geometry and execute spatial queries in their simplest forms. We will explore how to run spatial analysis queries, handle connections, and more, all from our Python code. Your ability to answer spatial questions such as "I want to locate all the hotels that are within 2 km of a golf course and less than 5 km from a park" is where PostGIS comes into play. This chaining of requests into a model is where the powers of spatial analysis shine.

We will work with the most popular and powerful open source spatial database called PostgreSQL, along with the PostGIS extension, including over 150 functions. Basically, we'll get a full-blown GIS with complex spatial analysis functions for both vectors and rasters, spatial data types, and diverse methods to move spatial data around.

If you are looking for more information on PostGIS and a good read, please check out PostGIS Cookbook by Paolo Corti (available...