ArcGIS Pro Bridge FAQs

Question 1

What is ArcGIS Pro Bridge?

Accepted Answer

ArcGIS Pro Bridge is a tool that integrates ArcGIS Pro capabilities directly into the Model Context Protocol (MCP) ecosystem. This enables AI agents, such as Copilot in Agent Mode, to interact with and control GIS environments by exposing core ArcGIS Pro functionalities as structured MCP tools.

Question 2

How does ArcGIS Pro Bridge facilitate AI interaction with GIS?

Accepted Answer

It uses a dedicated C# Add-In within ArcGIS Pro that runs an in-process Named Pipe server. An external .NET 8 MCP server then communicates with this Add-In via Named Pipes, translating ArcGIS Pro operations into MCP tools that AI agents can invoke (e.g., `list layers`, `count features`).

Question 3

What are the key technical components of ArcGIS Pro Bridge?

Accepted Answer

The solution comprises an ArcGIS Pro C# Add-In project, a .NET 8 console application acting as the MCP server, and utilizes Named Pipes for secure and efficient local inter-process communication. It leverages the ArcGIS Pro SDK for .NET and the ModelContextProtocol NuGet package.

Question 4

What are the primary benefits of using ArcGIS Pro Bridge?

Accepted Answer

The main benefits include automating GIS tasks with AI, enabling intelligent querying of maps and layers, enhancing data exploration, and creating dynamic, AI-driven GIS workflows directly within ArcGIS Pro. It bridges the gap between AI capabilities and geographic information systems.

Question 5

What are the prerequisites to get started with ArcGIS Pro Bridge?

Accepted Answer

To use ArcGIS Pro Bridge, you will need Visual Studio 2022 (version 17.14 or later for Copilot Agent Mode support), ArcGIS Pro installed on the same machine, the ArcGIS Pro SDK for .NET, and the .NET 8 SDK.

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