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SKILL.md
GeoPandas Skill
geopandas spatial data library for Python: manipulation, analysis, and visualization of geographic data. Covers GeoDataFrames, spatial joins, CRS/projections, vector operations, raster integration (rasterio, xarray), choropleth mapping, interactive maps (folium), basemap tiles (contextily), spatial autocorrelation, and the PySAL ecosystem. Use when working with geographic data, reading/writing spatial files (Shapefile, GeoPackage, GeoParquet), making maps, or running spatial statistics. For interactive web-based geographic charts without spatial analysis, use plotly.
Comprehensive skill for spatial data analysis with geopandas and the broader Python geospatial stack. Use the decision trees below to find the right guidance, then load detailed references as needed.
Version Notes
This skill targets geopandas 1.x (tested with 1.1.3). Key changes from earlier versions:
data-scientist (geospatial-analysis.md, geospatial-operations.md): Spatial methodology — when/why to use spatial methods, interpretation guidance, MAUP, ecological fallacy. Load alongside this skill for research workflows.
polars: If spatial data is combined with large tabular datasets, use polars for non-spatial transformations before converting to GeoDataFrame.
plotnine / plotly: For non-map visualizations of spatial analysis results (coefficient plots, distributions).
Having issues?
├─ CRS mismatch errors → ./references/gotchas.md
├─ Invalid geometry errors → ./references/gotchas.md
├─ Spatial join produced wrong row count → ./references/gotchas.md
├─ Memory issues with large files → ./references/gotchas.md
├─ Shapely version confusion → ./references/gotchas.md
├─ Coordinate order (lon/lat vs lat/lon) → ./references/gotchas.md
└─ General troubleshooting → ./references/gotchas.md
File-First Execution in Research Workflows
Important: In data research pipelines (see CLAUDE.md), spatial operations are executed through script files, not interactively. This ensures auditability and reproducibility.
The pattern:
Write spatial analysis code to scripts/stage{N}_{type}/{step}_{task-name}.py
Execute via Bash with automatic output capture wrapper script
Validation results get automatically embedded in scripts as comments
If failed, create versioned copy for fixes
Closely read agent_reference/SCRIPT_EXECUTION_REFERENCE.md for the mandatory file-first execution protocol covering complete code file writing, output capture, and file versioning rules.
See:
agent_reference/SCRIPT_EXECUTION_REFERENCE.md — Script execution protocol and format with validation
The examples in reference files show geopandas syntax. In research workflows, wrap them in scripts following the file-first pattern.
Quick Reference
Essential Imports
import geopandas as gpd
from shapely.geometry import Point, Polygon, LineString, MultiPolygon
When this library is used as a primary analytical tool, include in the report's
Software & Tools references:
Jordahl, K. et al. geopandas: Python tools for geographic data [Computer software]. https://geopandas.org/
Cite when: geopandas is used for spatial operations, spatial joins, or map visualization central to the analysis.
Do not cite when: Only used to read a shapefile for a simple reference lookup.
If PySAL spatial analysis functions are also used (spatial weights, Moran's I, etc.),
additionally cite:
Rey, S.J. et al. (2022). "The PySAL Ecosystem of Open-Source Python Packages for the Analysis of Spatial Data." Geographical Analysis, 54(3), 467-487.
For method-specific citations (e.g., spatial statistics techniques),
consult the reference files in this skill and agent_reference/CITATION_REFERENCE.md.
