STEquals

STEquals is a function commonly found in spatial database systems and geographic information systems (GIS). It is used to determine if two spatial objects are equal in their geometry. Equality in this context means that the two objects occupy the exact same space. This comparison typically considers points, lines, polygons, and other geometric shapes.

The STEquals function returns a boolean value, true if the geometries are identical, and false otherwise. The exact implementation and behavior can vary slightly between different software platforms, but the core principle remains the same. It is a fundamental operation for tasks such as data validation, topological analysis, and feature matching.

For instance, if you have two polygon features representing the same land parcel, STEquals would confirm if their boundaries and interior points precisely overlap. This is distinct from other spatial relationship functions like STIntersects, which only checks if any part of the geometries touch or overlap. STEquals requires a complete and identical spatial representation.