Why File Formats Don’t Really Matter Anymore

In an industry that’s always evolving, one truth has long been held up as self-evident: file formats are critical. GIS professionals, developers, and tech enthusiasts know the frustration of incompatible formats, broken workflows, and endless conversions. But in today’s landscape of interoperability, cloud computing, and real-time data exchange, the importance of file formats is fading — and that’s a good thing. Let’s explore why file formats are no longer the tech barrier they once were and how this shift is opening doors to more efficient, flexible, and productive workflows.

The Great Hope

Back in the WeoGeo days, we worked with Safe FME to create a cloud based ETL solution that could read and write hundreds of file formats. The idea was that no matter how obscure the format was we could support it. In the end the long tail was so very long. Most users wanted either SHP, GeoJSON or CSV. The effort to allow a MapInfo download was not worth the time given maybe 2-3 people a year used that format. Even MapInfo users downloaded SHP files. Think about it this way, submitting your resume to a company usually requires uploading a resume in one of 3 formats; .pdf, .docx or .txt. It would be simple enough to create a workflow that could read Markdown or LaTeX and bring it into the system but to what point? Anyone who could use either standard could easily convert it to one of those 3 formats. Spatial data is exactly the same.

The Rise of Interoperability and Open Standards

File formats were once pivotal because data existed in silos. You needed a specific format to work within a particular system, and shifting between formats often meant headaches and lost time. But now, open standards and APIs enable seamless data exchange across platforms, regardless of format. Technologies like GeoJSON for spatial data or Parquet for big data are universally compatible, making data accessible across countless environments. Interoperability isn’t just a feature anymore — it’s a foundational expectation, and this shift means that the format of the data is often secondary to its usability.

Cloud Computing: The Great Equalizer

Cloud solutions from AWS to Google Cloud to Azure have transformed the way we store, process, and access data. Cloud platforms provide flexible storage and on-demand processing power, meaning that data isn’t restricted by format-specific limitations. Cloud-native applications automatically handle diverse file types in the backend, allowing users to focus on insights rather than conversions. In the cloud, format is an afterthought; what matters is accessibility, security, and scalability.

Real-Time Data and APIs: Format Agnostic by Design

Today, most applications operate on real-time data exchange through APIs. APIs pull and push data dynamically, translating it as needed between systems without users ever seeing the underlying format. In this environment, data is not static but fluid, streaming seamlessly from one endpoint to another. The API-centric approach means the specifics of file format are abstracted away — the system does the heavy lifting, letting developers and users interact with the data without worrying about how it’s structured behind the scenes.

Data Portability and the Power of Decoupled Architectures

In an era of microservices and decoupled architectures, data portability is a must. File formats, once barriers to migration, are no longer bottlenecks. With containerization and orchestration tools like Docker and Kubernetes, data and applications can move fluidly between environments. Decoupling storage, processing, and application layers lets data interact in ways that are no longer bound to a rigid structure, enhancing flexibility and adaptability.

The User Experience Perspective: Data Agility Over Rigid Formats

Modern users expect a seamless experience, and they want data to be available and usable on-demand. They aren’t concerned with whether it’s in a .CSV, .SHP, or .JSON format — they just need it to work. This has led software providers to prioritize user experience, with solutions that are format-agnostic or that auto-detect and translate files as needed. Users now interact with a simple, cohesive interface that does the format juggling in the background.

Does This Mean File Formats Are Obsolete?

Not entirely. While formats are no longer a barrier to productivity, they still serve a purpose in defining the structure and intent of data, particularly in cases where format-specific optimizations are beneficial (e.g., Parquet for columnar storage in big data). But the emphasis has shifted. Instead of formats being rigid gatekeepers, they’re flexible containers that can be translated, restructured, and exchanged as needed. They are tools to support interoperability, not limit it.

Shifting the Conversation

In our hyper-connected, cloud-powered, API-driven tech landscape, the conversation around file formats needs to evolve. It’s time to stop debating the merits of .KML vs. .SHP or .JSON vs. .XML and start focusing on higher-level goals: how to make data more accessible, more scalable, and ultimately more valuable. File formats no longer define the boundaries of our systems; instead, they are pieces of a much larger ecosystem, where usability and interoperability reign supreme.

As we continue to advance, the conversation should focus on data accessibility, quality, and security. In a world where file formats are becoming invisible to the end user, we’re moving toward a new era of data freedom — where what truly matters is not the package, but the potential within.