GDAL(1) GDAL GDAL(1)
gdal - Main gdal entry point
Added in version 3.11.
Usage: gdal <COMMAND> [OPTIONS]
where <COMMAND> is one of:
- convert: Convert a dataset (shortcut for 'gdal raster convert' or 'gdal vector convert').
- dataset: Commands to manage datasets.
- driver: Command for driver specific operations.
- info: Return information on a dataset (shortcut for 'gdal raster info' or 'gdal vector info').
- mdim: Multidimensional commands.
- pipeline: Process a dataset applying several steps.
- raster: Raster commands.
- vector: Vector commands.
- vsi: GDAL Virtual System Interface (VSI) commands.
Common Options:
-h, --help Display help message and exit
--json-usage Display usage as JSON document and exit
--config <KEY>=<VALUE> Configuration option [may be repeated]
Options:
--version Display GDAL version and exit
--drivers Display driver list as JSON document
'gdal <FILENAME>' can also be used as a shortcut for 'gdal info <FILENAME>'.
And 'gdal read <FILENAME> ! ...' as a shortcut for 'gdal pipeline <FILENAME> ! ...'.
Example 1: Getting information on the file utm.tif (with JSON output)
$ gdal info utm.tif
Example 2: Converting file utm.tif to GeoPackage raster
$ gdal convert utm.tif utm.gpkg
Example 3: Getting information on all available commands and subcommands
as a JSON document.
$ gdal --json-usage
Example 4: Getting list of all formats supported by the current GDAL
build, as text
$ gdal --formats
Example 5: Getting list of all formats supported by the current GDAL
build, as JSON.
$ gdal --formats --json
Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>
1998-2026
March 20, 2026 GDAL(1)
NAME
gdal - Main gdal entry point
Added in version 3.11.
SYNOPSIS
Usage: gdal <COMMAND> [OPTIONS]
where <COMMAND> is one of:
- convert: Convert a dataset (shortcut for 'gdal raster convert' or 'gdal vector convert').
- dataset: Commands to manage datasets.
- driver: Command for driver specific operations.
- info: Return information on a dataset (shortcut for 'gdal raster info' or 'gdal vector info').
- mdim: Multidimensional commands.
- pipeline: Process a dataset applying several steps.
- raster: Raster commands.
- vector: Vector commands.
- vsi: GDAL Virtual System Interface (VSI) commands.
Common Options:
-h, --help Display help message and exit
--json-usage Display usage as JSON document and exit
--config <KEY>=<VALUE> Configuration option [may be repeated]
Options:
--version Display GDAL version and exit
--drivers Display driver list as JSON document
'gdal <FILENAME>' can also be used as a shortcut for 'gdal info <FILENAME>'.
And 'gdal read <FILENAME> ! ...' as a shortcut for 'gdal pipeline <FILENAME> ! ...'.
EXAMPLES
Example 1: Getting information on the file utm.tif (with JSON output)
$ gdal info utm.tif
Example 2: Converting file utm.tif to GeoPackage raster
$ gdal convert utm.tif utm.gpkg
Example 3: Getting information on all available commands and subcommands
as a JSON document.
$ gdal --json-usage
Example 4: Getting list of all formats supported by the current GDAL
build, as text
$ gdal --formats
Example 5: Getting list of all formats supported by the current GDAL
build, as JSON.
$ gdal --formats --json
AUTHOR
Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>
COPYRIGHT
1998-2026
March 20, 2026 GDAL(1)