ArcObjects Technology

A Complete System for ArcGIS Development

ArcGIS provides a complete system for developing desktop and server applications that allows developers to

• Embed GIS and mapping functionality in other applications.
• Build and deploy custom desktop applications.
• Configure/Customize ArcGIS products such as ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo
• Extend the ArcGIS architecture and data model.
• Build Web services and server-based applications.

ArcObjects

Through a carefully planned evolution, ArcGIS has come to be based on a modular, scaleable, cross platform architecture comprising libraries of software components called ArcObjects.

ArcObjects are platform independent software components, written in C++, that provide services to support GIS applications, either on the desktop in the form of thick and thin clients or on a server for Web and traditional client/server deployments. Because this architecture supports a number of unique ArcGIS products with specialized requirements, all ArcObjects are designed and built to support a multi-use scenario.

Libraries of appropriate ArcObjects are packaged into Developer Kits for ArcGIS, providing a common developer experience across ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine, and ArcGIS Server products. ArcGIS also provides a number of deployment options and resources as well as extensive tools for developers, including industry specific data models, an integrated help system, a library reference diagram [PDF-323 KB], object library diagrams, sample code, utilities, and documentation. Get started with more information on ArcObjects at EDN Documentation Library for ArcObjects.