What is the purpose of 'geocode' in GIS?

The purpose of 'geocode' in GIS is to convert addresses into geographic coordinates, specifically latitude and longitude. This process allows geographic locations that are defined by postal addresses to be transformed into a format that can be used for mapping, spatial analysis, and various geographic information system tasks. By obtaining the geographic coordinates, users can place a location on a map, perform spatial analysis, and integrate the address data with other spatial datasets for more comprehensive analysis and visualization.

Geocoding is essential in many applications, including locating places on digital maps, routing systems for navigation, and analyzing geographic patterns related to the locations of addresses. This functionality underpins much of the work done in GIS, allowing for a better understanding of spatial relationships and insights derived from location-based data.