Data Management in ArcGIS Pro
Core concepts
Data management questions test whether you understand where data lives and how ArcGIS Pro connects to it. Key ideas: the project file (.aprx) stores references, not data; default geodatabases created with a project live in the project's folder; feature classes and raster datasets live inside a geodatabase, while shapefiles are standalone folders of files. Understand the difference between a feature class (homogeneous geometry, one table) and a feature dataset (container that enforces a shared spatial reference for its contents). Know the role of the spatial reference and why projecting data differs from defining a projection.
Traps to watch for
- Moving a project does not move its referenced data; broken links must be repaired.
- A feature dataset forces all member classes to the same coordinate system.
- "Define Projection" only relabels metadata; "Project" rewrites coordinates.
- Domains and subtypes constrain attribute values; they are not geometry rules.
- Editing requires the data to be writable - read-only sources block edits.
Worked example / rule of thumb
If a candidate asks how to store related feature classes that must share a coordinate system and participate in a topology, the answer is a feature dataset. Rule of thumb: one project, one default geodatabase, many feature datasets only when sharing a spatial reference is required. Prefer file geodatabases over shapefiles for field names, domains, and performance.