万维网地理信息系统是地理信息系统和万维网相结合的产物，和传统的地理信息系统相比具有很多优越性，近几年来，国内外软件厂商开发了很多万维网地理信息系统平台软件，也在各行各业得到广泛的应用，万维网地理信息系统主要的构造方法有：CGI方法，服务器应用程序接口方法，插件法，Java Applet方法和ActiveX方法。WebGIS的构造模型包括浏览器／服务器三层和多层结构体系，WebGIS之间的互操作为空间信息共享提供了技术基础，OpenGIS提出了万维网地理信息系统的互操作模型，本文对WebGIS发展进行了综述，并分析了总结了WebGIS的发展趋势。

This paper introduces the main technologies for constructing a WebGIS, which is considered as an integration of Internet/Weg technologies and geographic information system. Compared with traditional GIS, many merits are showed in WebGIS. Recently many software producers have released WebGIS platform software all over the world. At the same time, many applications are built. The main technologies for WebGIS include CGI(Common Gateway Interface) method, Server Application Interface method, plug-in method, Java applets and ActiveX method. The Design models for WebGIS include 3-tie and multi-tie browser/server model. The most important feature for WebGIS is the interoperability. OpenGIS has been developing the interoperable model of WebGIS. A brief outlook for the main trends of WebGIS technologies and their applications are given. GML, Open Geographic Information System, distributed GIS, network based virtual geographic environment, mobile GIS would be the focus of GIS research and development in the future.