The Esri shapefile, or simply a shapefile, is a popular geospatial vector data format for geographic information system software. It is developed and regulated by Esri as a (mostly) open specification for data interoperability among Esri and other software products. Shapefiles spatially describe features: points, lines, and polygons, representing, for example, water wells, rivers, and lakes. Each item usually has attributes that describe it, such as name or temperature.