Any back-end applications that don't require a user interface are best suited for the Services Edition. Examples of these would include web services, Windows services, console applications, or batch applications. If your mapping application requires a user interface element, the Map Suite Desktop, Web, or Silverlight Editions may be a better fit.

Map Suite Services Edition is a DLL component that can be easily referenced in your VB.NET or C# project. Once you have added the reference to the Map Suite Services Edition DLL, you have complete access to the APIs needed to build the custom functionality for your application.

To work with Map Suite Services Edition, you will need a copy of Microsoft Visual Studio or Visual Studio Express to build the code for your custom application.

Map Suite Services Edition lets you use virtually any map dataset of your choosing. If you have your own map data you can use it, or you can utilize our Map Suite World Map Kit extension or other base maps like Google Maps, just to name a few options.

Map Suite Services Edition comes with native support for the most popular vector and raster file formats, and includes a free extension that enables support for more than a dozen more vector formats and more than 80 raster formats. If you have spatial data or imagery, chances are you can use it with Map Suite. Check our Developer Blog for the master list of data formats that Map Suite currently supports.

Map Suite Services Edition was designed to be easy to understand and easy to use. While mapping/GIS controls typically have a larger learning curve than other simpler controls like grids or charts, we feel Map Suite has taken the complexity out of mapping and allows you to develop your application in days or weeks instead of months or years.

We have a very active Developer Community discussion forum, a large number of "How Do I?" sample applications with source code in VB.NET and C#, and we also offer professional services if you need to talk with a developer one-on-one.

Map Suite Services Edition is a lower-level component that is built for back-end applications like web services, Windows services and console applications. The Services Edition doesn't have any built-in functionality for user interface interactivity, where the Desktop and Web Editions do.

Yes. We offer a number of Map Suite add-ons that extend the functionality and map coverage of your application, including the World Map Kit dataset plugin, and the Routing Extension that generates routes, turn-by-turn directions and more. Additionally, check out the Map Suite Code Community for an ever-expanding number of add-on projects that bring new features and ideas to your Map Suite projects - there's something new each week.