ArcGIS Pro Professional cheat sheet

A project stores items in a default geodatabase; the .aprx file references data by path, so moving or renaming source data breaks layers until repaired via the layer's Data Source properties.

File geodatabases support feature datasets (shared spatial reference), feature classes, tables, rasters, and relationship classes; an enterprise geodatabase adds versioning, archiving, and database privileges.

Field types are fixed at creation: text, short/long integer, big integer, float, double, date, GUID, and binary. Changing type requires creating a new field and calculating values across.

Domains constrain attribute values (coded value or range); subtypes group features with different default values and behavior within one feature class.

Topology rules (e.g., Must Not Overlap, Must Not Have Gaps) validate feature relationships inside a feature dataset; errors appear as exceptions that can be marked and exported.

Attribute rules (calculation, constraint, validation) run at edit time in enterprise and file geodatabases; batch calculation applies them to existing features.

Versioning in an enterprise geodatabase uses SDE default, child, and edit versions; reconcile and post merges edits, and conflicts are resolved by version or by attribute.

Metadata follows ISO 19115/FGDC styles; the item description stored in the project can be exported as XML and published with the layer.

Mosaic datasets manage collections of raster datasets with functions and footprints; they are the recommended structure for large imagery rather than single rasters.

Geoprocessing tools write outputs to a geodatabase, folder, or in-memory workspace; running a tool in ModelBuilder adds it as a process with input and output variables.

Selection tools: Select Layer By Attribute (SQL query) and Select Layer By Location (spatial relationship such as intersects, within, contains). Both honor an existing selection via the Selection Type parameter.

Buffer distance can be a field, and the Side Type (full, left, right, outside-only) and End Type (round, flat, square) control the shape; Dissolve Type merges overlapping buffers.

Spatial Join transfers attributes based on a match option (intersect, within, closest) and a join operation (one-to-one, one-to-many, join one-to-one); the output is a new feature class.

Overlay tools: Intersect keeps overlapping areas, Union keeps all areas, Erase removes the overlay area, and Identity combines input with overlay attributes.

Raster analysis uses Spatial Analyst tools such as Slope, Aspect, Hillshade, Reclassify, and Map Algebra (Raster Calculator); output cell size and extent are set in Environment settings.

Environment settings (Output Coordinate System, Extent, Snap Raster, Cell Size, Mask) apply to every tool in a run, including models and Python scripts.

Python toolbox scripts use arcpy.EnvManager to set environments and arcpy.analysis.Buffer, arcpy.management.Project, and similar modules; results return Result objects with getOutput.

Pairwise tools (Pairwise Buffer, Pairwise Intersect, Pairwise Clip) are faster than classic tools and are preferred for large inputs; classic tools remain for legacy workflows.

Maps and scenes live in the project; a layout references map frames, so one map can appear in several layouts at different scales and extents.

Symbology types: single symbol, unique values (categorical), graduated colors/symbols (numeric classes), proportional symbols, dot density, and unclassed/classified renderers.

Classification methods include Natural Breaks (Jenks), Equal Interval, Quantile, Standard Deviation, and Manual; the method changes how the same data reads on the map.

Normalization (by field, percent of total, log) reduces the influence of raw magnitude; graduated symbols should be normalized when symbol area would otherwise mislead.

Labeling uses label classes with SQL queries and expressions (Arcade); Maplex label engine controls placement, stacking, and conflict weighting.

Scale-dependent display via visibility ranges and reference scales keeps detail legible; a layout's map frame scale is set independently of the map's default extent.

Layout elements include map frames, legends, scale bars, north arrows, text, and dynamic text (e.g., page number, date, layer name) that update automatically.

Choropleth maps require normalized rates, not counts; dasymetric and dot density methods suit density data, while isarithmic maps suit continuous surfaces.

Color ramps should be sequential for ordered data, diverging for data around a meaningful midpoint, and qualitative for categories; colorblind-safe ramps avoid red-green pairs.

Sharing a web layer publishes it to ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise; the source data must be registered or copied, and the layer's capabilities (query, editing, sync) are chosen at publish time.

Web feature layers support editing and sync; web tile layers are cached and read-only; web map image layers render dynamically from a map service.

Sharing levels: private, shared with groups, shared with the organization, and public; item sharing and layer sharing are configured separately.

Overwrite Web Layer republishes to the same item and preserves its item ID and URL, so existing maps and apps keep working; deleting and republishing breaks them.

ArcGIS Pro tasks and Python scripts automate workflows; arcpy.mp reads the project (aprx), finds maps and layers, and can export layouts to PDF or PNG.

Scheduled automation commonly runs a Python script via a scheduled task or ArcGIS Notebooks; the script must authenticate (e.g., GIS('url').sign_in or an API key).

Publishing requires the layer's data to be accessible: enterprise geodatabase data can be registered as a data store, while file geodatabase data is copied to the server.

A web map can be saved as a map image layer or feature layer; hosted feature layer views apply filters and field visibility without duplicating the source data.

Item permissions and sharing can be scripted with the ArcGIS API for Python (gis.content, Item.share) and audited via item properties such as owner and modified date.