QGIS Interface

Overview

Introduction to the interface to QGIS. The interface customizable and you are able to dock panels on either side of the screen.

Map Canvas: When you start QGIS, the large window, front and center is the map canvas. The map canvas displays all of your map features. Scrolling the wheel on your mouse up and down will zoom in and out. Holding the wheel on your mouse down will pan left, right, up, and down.

Data Browser: The panel on the left is for browsing and managing your GIS data. It’s like Windows Explorer for GIS data for adding layers to your map canvas. You can move and dock panels on either side. It’s completely customizable and up to you where you want to dock it.

Toolbars: Toolbars are specialized sets of tools located above the map canvas. You can undock and move them anywhere in QGIS 3. For example, these are the standard toolbars that are in a QGIS install:

• Attributes

• Data Source Manager

• Digitizing

• Help

• Labeling

• Map Navigation

• Plugins

• Project

• Vector

• Web

QGZ File: When you save your project, it will create a file with a QGZ extension. In QGIS 2, it was the QGS file. Now, it’s the upgraded QGZ file. The advantage of this file type is that you can open it like a TXT file.