At its most basic, Giraffe is just a GeoJSON editor.
What is GeoJSON?
GeoJSON is an open, text-based, open-source format for representing geographic features, such as points, lines, and polygons, along with their non-spatial properties. Built on JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), it is easy for both humans and machines to read and write, making it a popular choice for web mapping and geospatial applications.
What GeoJSON defines:
Geometric objects: Common types include Points (a single location), LineStrings (a series of connected points), and Polygons (a closed shape to define an area), as well as their multi-part counterparts.
Features: A spatially bounded entity with associated properties, which can be anything from a building to a city.
FeatureCollections: A collection of multiple features.
Why GeoJSON?
GeoJSON is a flexible and efficient format for sharing vector data between different systems and platforms. It supports a wide range of geographic data and is compatible with many GIS software and web mapping libraries.
The format is open and widely adopted for web mapping applications and JavaScript-based geospatial tools. Furthermore, Its simple structure makes it easy to integrate into applications and to visualize data on a map.