---
title: ".geojson file — what it is and how to open it"
description: "A .geojson file is a GeoJSON. Geographic features — points, lines and polygons — written as JSON. How to open one on Windows, macOS and Linux, and what to convert it to."
url: https://atoneplace.net/file/geojson/
site: "At One Place"
---

# .geojson files

**.geojson file: GeoJSON**

Geographic features — points, lines and polygons — written as JSON.

## What opens a .geojson file

- **Windows:** QGIS, Visual Studio Code, Notepad (built in)
- **macOS:** QGIS, Visual Studio Code
- **Linux:** QGIS, Visual Studio Code, Text Editor (built in)
- **In a browser:** geojson.io, Google My Maps

## What a .geojson file is

GeoJSON is the IETF standard (RFC 7946) for encoding map data as JSON, and it is what most web mapping libraries consume. Coordinates are always longitude then latitude in WGS 84, which is the reverse of the order people usually say them and a persistent source of maps rendered in the ocean. It is plain text, so any editor works, and geojson.io renders one instantly in a browser.

## Converting it

A .geojson file is commonly converted to .kml, .shp, .gpx or .csv. It is a plain text format, so any text editor can open and edit it directly.

## Details

- **Extension:** .geojson
- **Full name:** GeoJSON
- **Category:** Data
- **MIME type:** application/geo+json
- **Created by:** IETF (RFC 7946)
- **Format:** Plain text

## Common questions

### How do I open a .geojson file?

On Windows use QGIS; on macOS use QGIS; on Linux use QGIS. Geographic features — points, lines and polygons — written as JSON.

### What is a .geojson file?

GeoJSON. GeoJSON is the IETF standard (RFC 7946) for encoding map data as JSON, and it is what most web mapping libraries consume. Coordinates are always longitude then latitude in WGS 84, which is the reverse of the order people usually say them and a persistent source of maps rendered in the ocean.

### Can I convert a .geojson file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .kml, .shp, .gpx or .csv, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

## Related pages

- [.csv — Comma-Separated Values](https://atoneplace.net/file/csv/)
- [.json — JavaScript Object Notation](https://atoneplace.net/file/json/)
- [.xml — Extensible Markup Language](https://atoneplace.net/file/xml/)
- [.yaml — YAML Data File](https://atoneplace.net/file/yaml/)
- [.log — Log File](https://atoneplace.net/file/log/)
- [.torrent — BitTorrent Metainfo File](https://atoneplace.net/file/torrent/)
- [.dat — Generic Data File](https://atoneplace.net/file/dat/)
- [.vcf — vCard Contact File](https://atoneplace.net/file/vcf/)
- [.sql — SQL Script](https://atoneplace.net/file/sql/)
- [.ics — iCalendar Event](https://atoneplace.net/file/ics/)
- [.sqlite — SQLite Database](https://atoneplace.net/file/sqlite/)
- [.db — Generic Database File](https://atoneplace.net/file/db/)

## Sources

- Media Types Registry — IANA (https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/)
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)