Home › Format compatibility matrix

GIS format compatibility matrix

Every conversion trades something. This matrix shows exactly what survives and what is lost when you convert between GIS formats, geometry, attributes, styling, coordinate system, elevation and file structure, so you can pick the right target before you convert. The data is derived from the real GDAL behaviour behind this site's converters.

From To

From	To	Geometry	Attributes	Styling	CRS	Elevation	Structure
KML	KMZ	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
KML	Shapefile	Changes	Changes	Dropped	Kept	Kept	Changes
KML	GeoJSON	Kept	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Kept	Kept
KML	GeoPackage	Kept	Kept	Dropped	Kept	Kept	Kept
KML	GML	Kept	Kept	Dropped	Kept	Kept	Kept
KML	CSV	Changes	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept
KML	Excel (XLSX)	Changes	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept
KML	GPX	Changes	Changes	Dropped	Changes	Kept	Kept
KML	DXF	Kept	Dropped	Dropped	Changes	Kept	Kept
KML	DGN	Kept	Dropped	Dropped	Changes	Kept	Kept
KML	MapInfo TAB	Kept	Kept	Dropped	Kept	Kept	Changes
KML	SQLite / SpatiaLite	Kept	Kept	Dropped	Kept	Kept	Kept
KML	WKT	Kept	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept
KMZ	KML	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
KMZ	Shapefile	Changes	Changes	Dropped	Kept	Kept	Changes
KMZ	GeoJSON	Kept	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Kept	Kept
KMZ	GeoPackage	Kept	Kept	Dropped	Kept	Kept	Kept
KMZ	GML	Kept	Kept	Dropped	Kept	Kept	Kept
KMZ	CSV	Changes	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept
KMZ	Excel (XLSX)	Changes	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept
KMZ	GPX	Changes	Changes	Dropped	Changes	Kept	Kept
KMZ	DXF	Kept	Dropped	Dropped	Changes	Kept	Kept
KMZ	DGN	Kept	Dropped	Dropped	Changes	Kept	Kept
KMZ	MapInfo TAB	Kept	Kept	Dropped	Kept	Kept	Changes
KMZ	SQLite / SpatiaLite	Kept	Kept	Dropped	Kept	Kept	Kept
KMZ	WKT	Kept	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept
Shapefile	KML	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
Shapefile	KMZ	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
Shapefile	GeoJSON	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
Shapefile	GeoPackage	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
Shapefile	GML	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
Shapefile	CSV	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
Shapefile	Excel (XLSX)	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
Shapefile	GPX	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
Shapefile	DXF	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
Shapefile	DGN	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
Shapefile	MapInfo TAB	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes
Shapefile	SQLite / SpatiaLite	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
Shapefile	WKT	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
GeoJSON	KML	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GeoJSON	KMZ	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GeoJSON	Shapefile	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes
GeoJSON	GeoPackage	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
GeoJSON	GML	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
GeoJSON	CSV	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
GeoJSON	Excel (XLSX)	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
GeoJSON	GPX	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
GeoJSON	DXF	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GeoJSON	DGN	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GeoJSON	MapInfo TAB	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes
GeoJSON	SQLite / SpatiaLite	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
GeoJSON	WKT	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
GeoPackage	KML	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GeoPackage	KMZ	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GeoPackage	Shapefile	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes
GeoPackage	GeoJSON	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
GeoPackage	GML	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
GeoPackage	CSV	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
GeoPackage	Excel (XLSX)	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
GeoPackage	GPX	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
GeoPackage	DXF	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GeoPackage	DGN	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GeoPackage	MapInfo TAB	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes
GeoPackage	SQLite / SpatiaLite	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
GeoPackage	WKT	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
GML	KML	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GML	KMZ	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GML	Shapefile	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes
GML	GeoJSON	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
GML	GeoPackage	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
GML	CSV	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
GML	Excel (XLSX)	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
GML	GPX	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
GML	DXF	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GML	DGN	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GML	MapInfo TAB	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes
GML	SQLite / SpatiaLite	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
GML	WKT	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
CSV	KML	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
CSV	KMZ	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
CSV	Shapefile	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes	Kept	Changes
CSV	GeoJSON	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
CSV	GeoPackage	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
CSV	GML	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
CSV	Excel (XLSX)	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
CSV	GPX	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
CSV	DXF	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
CSV	DGN	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
CSV	MapInfo TAB	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Changes
CSV	SQLite / SpatiaLite	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
CSV	WKT	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
Excel (XLSX)	KML	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
Excel (XLSX)	KMZ	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
Excel (XLSX)	Shapefile	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes	Kept	Changes
Excel (XLSX)	GeoJSON	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
Excel (XLSX)	GeoPackage	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
Excel (XLSX)	GML	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
Excel (XLSX)	CSV	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
Excel (XLSX)	GPX	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
Excel (XLSX)	DXF	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
Excel (XLSX)	DGN	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
Excel (XLSX)	MapInfo TAB	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Changes
Excel (XLSX)	SQLite / SpatiaLite	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
Excel (XLSX)	WKT	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
GPX	KML	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GPX	KMZ	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GPX	Shapefile	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes
GPX	GeoJSON	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
GPX	GeoPackage	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
GPX	GML	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
GPX	CSV	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
GPX	Excel (XLSX)	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
GPX	DXF	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GPX	DGN	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
GPX	MapInfo TAB	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes
GPX	SQLite / SpatiaLite	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
GPX	WKT	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
DXF	KML	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DXF	KMZ	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DXF	Shapefile	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes
DXF	GeoJSON	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DXF	GeoPackage	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DXF	GML	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DXF	CSV	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept
DXF	Excel (XLSX)	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept
DXF	GPX	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DXF	DGN	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DXF	MapInfo TAB	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes
DXF	SQLite / SpatiaLite	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DXF	WKT	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept
DGN	KML	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DGN	KMZ	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DGN	Shapefile	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes
DGN	GeoJSON	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DGN	GeoPackage	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DGN	GML	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DGN	CSV	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept
DGN	Excel (XLSX)	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept
DGN	GPX	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DGN	DXF	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DGN	MapInfo TAB	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes
DGN	SQLite / SpatiaLite	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
DGN	WKT	Kept	Changes	Changes	Changes	Changes	Kept
MapInfo TAB	KML	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
MapInfo TAB	KMZ	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
MapInfo TAB	Shapefile	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes
MapInfo TAB	GeoJSON	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
MapInfo TAB	GeoPackage	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
MapInfo TAB	GML	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
MapInfo TAB	CSV	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
MapInfo TAB	Excel (XLSX)	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
MapInfo TAB	GPX	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
MapInfo TAB	DXF	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
MapInfo TAB	DGN	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
MapInfo TAB	SQLite / SpatiaLite	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
MapInfo TAB	WKT	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
SQLite / SpatiaLite	KML	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
SQLite / SpatiaLite	KMZ	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
SQLite / SpatiaLite	Shapefile	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes
SQLite / SpatiaLite	GeoJSON	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
SQLite / SpatiaLite	GeoPackage	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
SQLite / SpatiaLite	GML	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept
SQLite / SpatiaLite	CSV	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
SQLite / SpatiaLite	Excel (XLSX)	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
SQLite / SpatiaLite	GPX	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
SQLite / SpatiaLite	DXF	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
SQLite / SpatiaLite	DGN	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
SQLite / SpatiaLite	MapInfo TAB	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes
SQLite / SpatiaLite	WKT	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept
WKT	KML	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
WKT	KMZ	Kept	Kept	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
WKT	Shapefile	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes	Kept	Changes
WKT	GeoJSON	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
WKT	GeoPackage	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
WKT	GML	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
WKT	CSV	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
WKT	Excel (XLSX)	Changes	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
WKT	GPX	Changes	Changes	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept
WKT	DXF	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
WKT	DGN	Kept	Dropped	Changes	Changes	Kept	Kept
WKT	MapInfo TAB	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Changes
WKT	SQLite / SpatiaLite	Kept	Kept	Kept	Changes	Kept	Kept

Kept preserved Changes converted or reshaped Dropped not carried across. A linked target opens that converter.

How to read the matrix

What the six columns mean

Each row is one conversion, scored on six things a format either keeps or cannot: Geometry (points, lines, polygons), Attributes (the data table and its field names), Styling (colours, icons, labels), CRS (the coordinate reference system), Elevation (Z values) and Structure (one file versus several).

What "Kept", "Changes" and "Dropped" tell you

Pick a source format under From and, if you like, a target under To. "Changes" is not a warning, it is normal and usually what you want (for example, points become X/Y columns when you convert to CSV). "Dropped" flags something a format genuinely cannot store, such as Google Earth styling in a shapefile, or an attribute table in a CAD drawing.

Opening a conversion

A linked target opens that converter. Every conversion here runs in your browser with nothing uploaded.

Use this matrix on your own site

Embed the interactive table

Paste this snippet to embed the live matrix. The attribution link keeps the credit pointing back here, which is the whole deal: use the data freely, link the source.

<iframe src="https://gisconverters.com/embed/gis-format-compatibility.html"
        width="100%" height="600" style="border:1px solid #DCE5E3;border-radius:8px"
        title="GIS Format Compatibility Matrix"></iframe>
<p><a href="https://gisconverters.com/gis-format-compatibility.html">GIS Format Compatibility Matrix</a> by GISConverter, CC BY 4.0</p>

Cite a specific conversion

Every row has an anchor, so you can link straight to it, for example https://gisconverters.com/gis-format-compatibility.html#kml-to-shp.

Download the data

Export the whole table as CSV with the button above the matrix. The dataset is licensed CC BY 4.0, free to reuse and republish with attribution to GISConverter.