This article compiles commonly used QGIS plugins to help you improve work efficiency.

Plugin Management Notes

Startup Performance

  • Plugins load dependencies synchronously at startup; installing too many will significantly slow down startup.
  • Recommended to keep commonly used plugins but disable them in “Plugin Manager,” enabling them with one click when needed.

Stability and Troubleshooting

  • Some plugins modify global settings; when issues occur, first review recently installed or updated plugins.
  • Use “New Profile” to start QGIS for a clean environment without plugins and default settings.
  • Recommended to maintain at least two profiles: workflow profile (with common plugins) and demo profile (close to factory settings).

Essential Plugins

Quick Map Services

  • Function: Quick Map Services (QMS) quickly loads online basemap services like OSM, Google, ESRI.
  • Highlight: Most projects can directly load OSM to meet needs; you can bookmark frequently used services.
  • Tip: Update the official directory after first enabling to avoid broken links or missing layers.

QuickOSM

  • Function: Query and download vector data like roads, buildings, and points of interest based on OSM.
  • Scenario: Quickly obtain urban facilities, transportation networks, and other thematic data as a foundation for subsequent analysis.
  • Note: Some regions may have update delays, but overall coverage is sufficient for visualization and planning sketches.

Urban Network Analysis: ORS Tools

  • Advantage: No need to build your own road network; directly call OpenRouteService’s online network services.
  • Steps: Register for free API Key → Fill in plugin settings → Select analysis type and parameters.
  • Core Functions:
    • Isochrones: Generate 10/15-minute reachable areas around points of interest, following real commute paths.
    • Matrix Distance: Batch calculate shortest distances or travel times between multiple origins and destinations, suitable for facility location and scheduling.
  • Reminder: For example, the isochrone API limits 40 requests per minute; wait a moment after triggering rate limits before continuing.

Remote Sensing Data Access: STAC API Browser

  • Purpose: Browse and filter remote sensing catalogs following STAC protocol (Google, Microsoft, AWS, etc.) within QGIS.
  • Workflow: Use map to select area and time range → Select dataset → Stream pixels for area of interest.
  • Example: ESA WorldCover 10m global land cover can be loaded in seconds and automatically fills in details as you zoom.
  • Advantage: No need to download entire scenes; can directly integrate into model building or scripted processing workflows.

High-Performance Spatial Analysis: Whitebox Tools

  • Overview: Provides about 500 additional algorithms, multi-threaded C++ implementation, some tasks significantly faster than native tools.
  • Two-Step Installation:
    1. Install Whitebox Tools in Plugin Manager.
    2. Download WhiteboxTools executable for your system and specify path in plugin settings (basic features are free).
  • Integration: After installation, tools automatically appear in “Processing Toolbox,” supporting model building, batch processing, and script calls.
  • Demo: Excellent performance for vector smoothing, terrain analysis, stream network extraction, etc.

Cloud Remote Sensing Computing: Google Earth Engine Plugin

  • Capability: Write and execute EE scripts within QGIS; computation is done in the cloud, results stream back.
  • Scenario: Process TB-scale climate or remote sensing data, e.g., generate daily maximum temperature distribution for March 2030.
  • Preparation: Ensure GEE account authentication is complete; for token issues, re-login following plugin documentation.
  • Advanced: Call EE API directly in QGIS Python console, combining with local layers for deeper analysis or export.

Global Map Display: Globe Builder

  • Principle: Uses custom orthographic projection to build “globe” effect on 2D canvas.
  • Two Uses:
    • Set map canvas to Globe for result presentation or story maps.
    • Insert Globe in layout as locator map, providing global overview for main map.
  • Note: Still 2D projection, doesn’t support free rotation, but visual expression is more suitable for public communication and storytelling.

OSM Smart Search: Aino

  • Position: Focuses on OSM open data, providing integrated workflow from download, parsing to direct loading into QGIS.
  • Feature Highlights: Built-in filters for roads, buildings, points of interest, etc., one-click to get clean thematic layers; supports converting natural language prompts like “parks in Barcelona” to corresponding OSM queries.
  • Usage Tip: Suitable for teams wanting to reduce complex query syntax; refer to official demo videos Video 1 and Video 2.

Batch Data Processing: MMQGIS

  • Position: Built for batch processing and data organization, filling common operations missing from QGIS standard processing toolbox.
  • Core Functions: Supports batch geocoding, attribute field splitting/merging, spatial joins, etc., quickly processing large feature sets.
  • Getting Started: User-friendly interface, suitable for users with limited scripting ability but needing standardized data workflows; backup original tables before processing for easy rollback.

Interactive Visualization Plotting: Data Plotly

  • Position: Brings Plotly interactive charting capabilities into QGIS, generating publishable visualizations directly from spatial data.
  • Features: Supports scatter, bar, histogram, and other chart types, can link with map canvas, highlighting corresponding features for exploratory analysis.
  • Further Learning: Watch official demo to learn best practices for chart-map linkage.

Time Series Animation: TimeManager

  • Position: Animate time-series spatial data, quickly create timeline-based map animations.
  • Feature Highlights: Customize time steps and playback speed, synchronize multiple spatiotemporal layers to observe event evolution.
  • Experience: Suitable for showcasing urban expansion, environmental monitoring, and other themes; check that time field types are consistent across layers before export.

Terrain Profile Analysis: Profile Tool

  • Position: Instantly generate elevation profiles along lines within QGIS, assessing terrain undulation.
  • Core Advantage: Supports extracting profiles from raster or point cloud data, quickly identifying slopes, valleys, ridges, and other terrain features.
  • Operation Tip: When drawing profiles, combine with layer styles to annotate key nodes for easy sharing with team.

Quick OSM Download: OSMDownloader

  • Position: One-stop download and import of multi-format OSM data, reducing cost of switching to external tools.
  • Workflow: Draw selection box on map to automatically fetch data and load as layers; supports multiple export formats for different project needs.
  • Best Practice: Download large areas in chunks for stability, avoiding single request failures due to excessive size.

Web 3D Mapping: QGIS2ThreeJS

  • Position: Convert DEM and vector data to WebGL-based interactive 3D maps.
  • Highlight: Export HTML without additional software, easily display results in browser or share with stakeholders.
  • Usage Tip: Optimize DEM resolution and style before import to maintain detail while controlling file size.

LiDAR Point Cloud Processing: LAS Tools

  • Position: For large-scale LiDAR point cloud processing needs, directly call 50+ tools within QGIS processing framework.
  • Core Functions: Supports classification, thinning, noise filtering, and DEM generation, maintaining good performance with massive point clouds.
  • Automation Tip: Use batch processing panel to chain common workflows (e.g., ground point extraction → rasterization), significantly reducing manual operation time.

Multi-Raster Value Monitoring: Value Tool

  • Position: Real-time view of values at mouse position across multiple raster or grid layers, suitable for comparative analysis.
  • Advantage: Lightweight yet practical interface, can simultaneously check temperature, precipitation, and other indicators for quick judgment.
  • Tip: In multi-screen scenarios, display alongside charts or reports for instant data consistency verification.

Reference Resources