STAC API Browser

Overview ¶

The STAC API Browser is a Kartoza plugin developed with funding from Microsoft Planetary Computer that brings cloud-native geospatial data discovery to QGIS. STAC (SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog) is a specification for describing geospatial information, making it easier to search and discover satellite imagery and other earth observation data.

With over 44,000 downloads, this is one of Kartoza’s most popular plugins.

Key Features ¶

• Catalog Browser: Browse multiple STAC catalogs
• Search Interface: Search by area, date, and collection
• Preview: Preview assets before downloading
• Direct Loading: Load COG and other cloud-optimised formats
• Catalog Management: Save and organise favourite catalogs
• Asset Selection: Choose specific bands or assets to load

Supported STAC Catalogs ¶

The plugin works with any STAC-compliant API, including:

• Microsoft Planetary Computer
• AWS Earth Search
• Google Earth Engine (via STAC)
• Element 84 Earth Search
• Digital Earth Africa
• Radiant Earth MLHub

Cloud-Native Formats ¶

Directly load cloud-native formats including:

• Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG)
• Zarr
• NetCDF
• GeoParquet

Use Cases ¶

• Satellite imagery discovery
• Time series analysis
• Environmental monitoring
• Agricultural assessment
• Urban change detection
• Climate research

Installation ¶

1. Open QGIS and go to Plugins → Manage and Install Plugins
2. Search for “STAC”
3. Click Install Plugin
4. Access from the Web menu or toolbar

Documentation ¶

Full documentation is available on the GitHub repository.