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What Is FileGDB? ESRI File Geodatabase Explained

Learn what an ESRI File Geodatabase (FileGDB) is, what it’s used for, and how to open or convert FileGDB datasets online.

FileGDB (ESRI File Geodatabase) is a geodatabase storage format commonly used in ArcGIS workflows. A FileGDB is typically a folder-based dataset with multiple internal tables and indexes, and it’s often shared as a .zip archive.

To inspect one quickly, use the FileGDB viewer page: /open-gdb-online/.

What FileGDB is used for

FileGDB is commonly used for:

  • Managing multi-layer GIS datasets in ArcGIS ecosystems
  • Storing attributes and related tables
  • Sharing structured datasets that include indexes and metadata

Common issues when opening FileGDB

  • FileGDB is usually multi-file. Uploading a single internal file is rarely enough.
  • Many distributions require zipping the folder before upload.
  • Some datasets are large and can be slow to load in a browser.

How to open FileGDB online

  1. Go to /open-gdb-online/.
  2. Upload a zipped .gdb folder (or the archive you received).
  3. Select the layer you want to preview and inspect attributes.

Convert FileGDB to other formats