What is a .SBN file?
SBN is an Esri spatial index that speeds up queries on a shapefile.
- Did you know
- The SBN index helps GIS software find shapes by location quickly.
- Esri never documented the SBN layout, so its binary structure had to be reverse-engineered by the open-source community.
- The SBN index is optional - a shapefile parses fine without it, but spatial queries run faster when it is present.
- What Analyser reads
- Identify and read more GIS and mapping files: OpenStreetMap o5m/o5c binaries, Esri layer files (.lyrx ArcGIS Pro CIM JSON, .lyr ArcMap), QGIS projects (.qgs/.qgz - version, CRS, layer list), shapefile spatial indexes (.sbn/.sbx), GMT/GDAL colour palettes (.cpt) and ENVI band-interleaved rasters (.bil/.bip/.bsq).
- Depth of analysis
- .SBN is an identification-grade format: Analyser recognises it from its bytes and decodes the header metadata it carries, rather than opening it in a full viewer. Formats that do get a full viewer are marked "Full" on the formats page.
- Open a .SBN file
- Drag a .SBN file onto the Analyser home page (or tap to pick one). It is identified entirely in your browser - nothing is uploaded, there is no account, and it works offline once installed.