Comparing Map Algebra Implementations for Python: Rasterio and ArcPy
As Geographic Information Systems (GIS) expand, tools for spatial analysis and raster processing are in high demand. Open source solutions for GIS can provide users with low-cost, generic, and interoperable alternatives to proprietary software. Map algebra is uniquely situated to benefit from open source implementations. This study compares map algebra tools of the proprietary ESRI ArcPy library and the open source Rasterio library. The analysis assesses performance of both libraries in terms of time and memory usage. Based on these performance metrics, Rasterio should be considered a suitable alternative to ArcPy for some GIS workloads.