Web GIS is a type of distributed information system, comprising at least one server and a client, where the server is a GIS server and the client is a web browser, desktop application, or a mobile application. In its simplest form, web GIS can be defined as any GIS that uses web technology to communicate between a server and a client.

By utilising the Internet to access information over the web without regard to how far apart the server and client might be from each other, web GIS enables distinct advantages over traditional desktop GIS, including the following: