[GIS] Is it necessary to master openlayers to use geoserver

Question

Is it necessary to learn openlayers to use geoserver? Can i completely ignore OpenLayers so long as i master using geoserver to publish data on my website because i understand openlayers is contained in geoserver? I would like to set up a web GIS but i find learning openlayers or leaflet difficult.

I would like to create a web application that receives data from, say a mobile phone and combines it with data served through GeoServer from my PostGIS database

Answer 1

It isn't necessary to learn OpenLayers or Leaflet when you just want to use GeoServer.

However, I have a single advice for you: because you already have a working GeoServer, do yourself a favor and go to https://github.com/boundlessgeo/suite/tree/master/geoexplorer. Follow those instructions, build a geoexplorer.war and deploy it to your servlet container.

GeoExplorer is tightly integrated with GeoServer, and is ideal for someone without an OpenLayer or Leaflet background.

Using GeoExplorer your maps will have a professional look, as a real web application.

As a map creator you'll log into GeoExplorer using the same user and password you have in GeoServer:

Then, choosing your desired layers, zooming and panning to your location, you only need to export the map, ticking the tools you want to be available to your users:

Here's a preview of your future web application (the 3D look of the buildings is due to a SLD style in my GeoServer):

Your users will be able to:

• measure length or area

• read features' data

• do a map print preview

• modify / create features / modify values (even from their mobile devices, as you said, but only if you give them rights)

• perform strong queries (if you give them rights)

Isn't this a great web application? And everything without writing a single code line!