Data Catalog¶
The Data Catalog lets you search for Earth Engine datasets from inside QGIS and load a selected asset into the plugin's existing add-layer dialogs.
Open it from Plugins > Google Earth Engine > Data Catalog. The catalog appears as a dockable panel in QGIS.
Browse datasets¶
When the catalog opens, it loads the official Earth Engine catalog by default and shows a small set of commonly used datasets. Use the search box to search all loaded metadata by dataset name, asset ID, provider, tags, license, or other fields.
You can narrow results with these filters:
| Filter | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | Shows images, image collections, or feature collections. |
| Source | Switches between the official catalog, the community catalog, or all loaded sources. |
| Provider | Limits results to a specific dataset provider. |
| Category | Limits results to a catalog category or thematic group. |
The results table shows the dataset title, type, source, provider, category, and date range. To keep QGIS responsive, broad searches render the first matching results instead of filling the table with every loaded dataset. Click a column heading to sort the visible table rows.
View dataset details¶
Select a dataset to view its details. The details panel shows the asset ID, type, source, provider, category, date range, license, keywords, and available links.
Use the action buttons below the details panel to:
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| Load | Opens the matching add-layer dialog with the selected asset ID filled in. |
| Copy Asset ID | Copies the asset ID to the clipboard. |
| Open Dataset Page | Opens the dataset documentation page in your browser when a link is available. |
Double-clicking a dataset also loads it.
Load datasets¶
The Load action sends the selected asset to the correct plugin dialog:
| Dataset type | Dialog |
|---|---|
| Image | Add Image |
| ImageCollection | Add Image Collection |
| FeatureCollection | Add Feature Collection |
For image collections and feature collections, catalog start and end dates are applied to the dialog date filters when the catalog provides them. Review the dialog settings before adding the layer, especially visualization parameters, date filters, and geometry filters.
Catalog sources¶
The Official source uses the Earth Engine dataset catalog metadata. This is the default source loaded when the panel opens.
The Community source loads datasets from the Awesome GEE Community Catalog. Community catalog entries are shown separately from official entries and may not be reviewed by Google. Check the linked dataset page, sample code, and license before using community datasets in a project.
Choose All sources to search across both sources. If the community catalog has not been loaded yet, selecting Community or All sources starts loading it.
Refresh and cache¶
Catalog data is cached locally so the panel can reopen faster and continue working when a previously loaded source is temporarily unavailable. The cache is refreshed automatically after seven days.
Click Refresh to fetch fresh metadata for the currently selected source. If Community is selected, only the community catalog is refreshed. For Official or All sources, the official catalog is refreshed.
Troubleshooting¶
If the catalog does not load, check that QGIS can access the internet and try Refresh. If the catalog has loaded before, the plugin will use cached data when a refresh fails.
If a dataset cannot be loaded, confirm that its type is supported by the plugin. The catalog can load images, image collections, and feature collections.