gdalbuildvrt

gdalbuildvrt is a command line tool in the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL) toolkit. It stands for Geospatial Data Abstraction Library Virtual Dataset Builder. This tool is used to create Virtual Raster (.vrt) files, which are XML representations of a mosaic of other raster datasets. gdalbuildvrt allows you to generate a single VRT file that effectively stitches together multiple raster files of various formats and extents. It provides a convenient way to organize, manage, and analyze large amounts of raster data without merging the individual files into a single dataset. The resulting VRT file acts as a metadata container, containing references to the original raster datasets, their georeferencing information, and other attributes. By using this command line tool, you can easily create virtual mosaics of raster imagery, such as satellite imagery, aerial photographs, or digital elevation models. gdalbuildvrt offers options to control various aspects of the VRT creation process, such as resampling methods, pixel size, and nodata values. The created VRT files can be further used with other GDAL utilities and GIS software for visualization, analysis, or processing. This tool provides an efficient way to handle large-scale raster datasets by allowing you to access the individual files as a single dataset, without duplicating or modifying the original data. Overall, gdalbuildvrt is a versatile command line tool that simplifies the management and integration of multiple raster datasets into a cohesive virtual mosaic.