What is a .QGS file?
A .QGS file is a type of file that is made and used by a program called QGIS, which stands for Quantum GIS. QGIS is a free program that works on different types of computers and is used by people who work with maps and geographical information. This could include anyone from hobbyists who enjoy mapping as a pastime to professionals who need to analyze and share information about the Earth's surface.
When someone is working on a project in QGIS, they can add different layers to a map, like roads, rivers, or areas of interest. They can also change how these layers look, by adjusting colors, lines, and more. All of these settings, along with the information about what layers are included and what the project is called, are saved in a .QGS file. This file is written in a code format known as XML, which is a way of storing information that both computers and humans can read.
To save all this project information, a user would go to the menu in QGIS and choose either "Project → Save" or "Project → Save As...". When they do this, QGIS saves all the project details into a .QGS file. This file can then be opened again later in QGIS to continue working on the project. It's like saving a document in a word processor so you can open it again later and keep working on it.
Additionally, QGIS automatically makes a backup of the project file in the same folder where the .QGS file is saved. This backup file ends with .qgs~ and is there just in case something goes wrong, so you don't lose all your work.
To open a .QGS file, you just need to have QGIS installed on your computer. Once you have QGIS, you can open the program and then open the .QGS file from within the program to see the map project and continue working on it.
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