Geospatial analysis and GIS workflows are traditionally tied to heavy desktop applications, steep learning curves, and complex toolchains. JupyterGIS transforms this paradigm by enabling fully interactive, browser-based GIS workflows inside JupyterLab. Researchers, educators, and developers can now visualize, analyze, and edit spatial data collaboratively, leveraging modern web technologies while retaining the power of native geospatial engines.

This talk presents how the Project Jupyter, WebAssembly, and GDAL communities collaborated to build a complete, interactive GIS environment for both desktop and browser platforms. JupyterGIS integrates OpenLayers, GDAL compiled to WebAssembly, and Python or non-Python kernels to deliver: - Real-time collaborative editing of GIS datasets, including QGIS formats - Fully client-side geospatial analysis pipelines with raster and vector support - Customizable symbology and interactive visualizations, including graduated, categorized, and multi-band styling - Notebook integration for embedding, documenting, and sharing workflows - Support for cloud-based and local spatial datasets, as well as STAC asset catalogs

Technical Highlights: - WebAssembly (WASM): GDAL compiled to WASM enables high-performance spatial operations directly in the browser, without server dependencies. - Collaborative Editing: Built on Jupyter’s collaborative document model (PyCRDT & Y.js), multiple users can edit layers simultaneously with conflict-free synchronization. - Extensible Architecture: Modular command system allows custom tools, plugins, and integration with Python or other kernels. - Integration with Modern Stacks: Seamless support for xarray, Pangeo ecosystem, and upcoming features like story maps and R kernel integration.

Demos & Use Cases: - Interactive vector and raster layer editing with live symbology updates - Performing geospatial analysis entirely in-browser using GDAL WASM pipelines - Collaborative multi-user editing sessions with conflict-free layer management - Story maps and visualization dashboards for environmental, policy, and STEM applications

Target Audience: Researchers, educators, geospatial developers, students, and open source enthusiasts interested in GIS, WebAssembly, or interactive computing.