GDAL-VECTOR-LAYER-ALGEBRA(1) GDAL GDAL-VECTOR-LAYER-ALGEBRA(1) NAME gdal-vector-layer-algebra - Perform algebraic operation between 2 layers Added in version 3.12. SYNOPSIS Usage: gdal vector layer-algebra [OPTIONS] Perform algebraic operation between 2 layers. Positional arguments: --operation Operation to perform. OPERATION=union|intersection|sym-difference|identity|update|clip|erase [required] -i, --input Input vector dataset [required] --method Method vector dataset [required] -o, --output Output vector dataset [required] Common Options: -h, --help Display help message and exit --json-usage Display usage as JSON document and exit --config = Configuration option [may be repeated] -q, --quiet Quiet mode (no progress bar) Options: -f, --of, --format, --output-format Output format --co, --creation-option = Creation option [may be repeated] --lco, --layer-creation-option = Layer creation option [may be repeated] --overwrite Whether overwriting existing output is allowed --update Whether to open existing dataset in update mode --overwrite-layer Whether overwriting existing output is allowed --append Whether appending to existing layer is allowed --input-layer Input layer name --method-layer Method layer name --output-layer Output layer name --geometry-type Geometry type Advanced Options: --oo, --open-option = Open options [may be repeated] --if, --input-format Input formats [may be repeated] --input-prefix Prefix for fields corresponding to input layer --input-field Input field(s) to add to output layer [may be repeated] Mutually exclusive with --no-input-field, --all-input-field --no-input-field Do not add any input field to output layer Mutually exclusive with --input-field, --all-input-field --all-input-field Add all input fields to output layer Mutually exclusive with --input-field, --no-input-field --method-prefix Prefix for fields corresponding to method layer --method-field Method field(s) to add to output layer [may be repeated] Mutually exclusive with --no-method-field, --all-method-field --no-method-field Do not add any method field to output layer Mutually exclusive with --method-field, --all-method-field --all-method-field Add all method fields to output layer Mutually exclusive with --method-field, --no-method-field DESCRIPTION gdal vector layer-algebra performs various vector layer algebraic operations. The command takes a vector input source and a method source and generates the output of the operation in the specified output file. Standard options --operation union|intersection|sym-difference|identity|update|clip|erase Select the operation to perform among: o union A union is a set of features, which represent areas that are in either of the operand layers. The operation is symmetric, and input and method layers can be interchanged. o intersection An intersection is a set of features, which represent the common areas of two layers. The operation is symmetric, and input and method layers can be interchanged. o sym-difference A symmetric difference is a set of features, which represent areas that are in operand layers but which do not intersect. The operation is symmetric, and input and method layers can be interchanged. o identity The identity method identifies features in the input layer with features in the method layer possibly splitting features into several features. By default the result layer has attributes from both operand layers. o update The update method creates a layer, which add features into the input layer from the method layer possibly cutting features in the input layer. By default the result layer has attributes only from the input layer. o clip The clip method creates a layer, which has features from the input layer clipped to the areas of the features in the method layer. By default the result layer has attributes of the input layer. o erase The erase method creates a layer, which has features from the input layer whose areas are erased by the features in the method layer. By default the result layer has attributes of the input layer. -f, --of, --format, --output-format Which output vector format to use. Allowed values may be given by gdal --formats | grep vector | grep rw | sort --co = Many formats have one or more optional dataset creation options that can be used to control particulars about the file created. For instance, the GeoPackage driver supports creation options to control the version. May be repeated. The dataset creation options available vary by format driver, and some simple formats have no creation options at all. A list of options supported for a format can be listed with the --formats command line option but the documentation for the format is the definitive source of information on driver creation options. See Vector drivers format specific documentation for legal creation options for each format. Note that dataset creation options are different from layer creation options. --layer-creation-option = Many formats have one or more optional layer creation options that can be used to control particulars about the layer created. For instance, the GeoPackage driver supports layer creation options to control the feature identifier or geometry column name, setting the identifier or description, etc. May be repeated. The layer creation options available vary by format driver, and some simple formats have no layer creation options at all. A list of options supported for a format can be listed with the --formats command line option but the documentation for the format is the definitive source of information on driver creation options. See Vector drivers format specific documentation for legal creation options for each format. Note that layer creation options are different from dataset creation options. --overwrite Allow program to overwrite existing target file or dataset. Otherwise, by default, gdal errors out if the target file or dataset already exists. --update Whether the output dataset must be opened in update mode. Implies that it already exists. This mode is useful when adding new layer(s) to an already existing dataset. --overwrite-layer Whether overwriting existing output layer is allowed. --append Whether appending features to existing output layer is allowed --input-layer Name of the input vector layer. --method-layer Name of the method vector layer. --output-layer Name of the output vector layer. --geometry-type Change the geometry type to be one of GEOMETRY, POINT, LINESTRING, POLYGON, MULTIPOINT, MULTILINESTRING, MULTIPOLYGON, GEOMETRYCOLLECTION, CURVE, CIRCULARSTRING, COMPOUNDCURVE, SURFACE, CURVEPOLYGON, MULTICURVE, MULTISURFACE, POLYHEDRALSURFACE or TIN. Z, M or ZM suffixes can be appended to the above values to indicate the dimensionality. Advanced options --input-prefix Prefix for fields corresponding to input layer. Defaults to input_ if there are both input and method fields, otherwise empty string. --input-field Input field(s) to add to output layer [may be repeated] Mutually exclusive with --no-input-field, --all-input-field. --no-input-field Do not add any input field to output layer. Mutually exclusive with --input-field, --all-input-field. --all-input-field Add all input fields to output layer. Mutually exclusive with --input-field, --no-input-field. --method-prefix Prefix for fields corresponding to method layer. Defaults to method_ if there are both input and method fields, otherwise empty string. --method-field Input field(s) to add to output layer [may be repeated] Mutually exclusive with --no-method-field, --all-method-field. --no-method-field Do not add any method field to output layer. Mutually exclusive with --method-field, --all-method-field. --all-method-field Add all method fields to output layer. Mutually exclusive with --method-field, --no-method-field. EXAMPLES Example 1: Performs a union between both input and method layers. $ gdal vector layer-algebra union input.shp method.shp output.shp AUTHOR Even Rouault COPYRIGHT 1998-2025 November 7, 2025 GDAL-VECTOR-LAYER-ALGEBRA(1)