ArcGIS Knowledge is an enterprise capability that brings knowledge graphs and graph analytics across ArcGIS desktop, Enterprise and focused web applications and developer tools. Organizations and analysts leverage knowledge graphs to map and fuse their enterprise data, spatial and nonspatial, together into networks on a shared ontology. Knowledge graphs unlock new insights through tools to explore indirect relationships, query to understand cascading impacts of decisions or disruptions, and to create smarter recommendations.

In this blog, you will discover the latest enhancements with ArcGIS Knowledge at the ArcGIS Enterprise 12.1 release, including access to file knowledge graphs for desktop-only users, enhanced in-context editing experiences in Knowledge Studio, and enhanced integrations and support across ArcGIS experiences like ArcGIS StoryMaps, ArcGIS Instant Apps, and ArcGIS Dashboards.

Key highlights include:

• Access to advanced graph analytic capabilities with File Knowledge Graph support across ArcGIS Pro Advanced and ArcGIS AllSource – no Enterprise or Server licenses needed!
• Richer, more intuitive data editing in Knowledge Studio, including drawing relationships directly within link charts.
• Expanded web app integrations, bringing knowledge graphs deeper into Dashboards, Instant Apps, and StoryMaps.
• Enterprise knowledge graph replication and synchronization (initial release).

Quick Links

• ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS AllSource and File Knowledge Graphs 
• ArcGIS Knowledge Studio
• ArcGIS Enterprise & Knowledge Server

Let’s dive in and learn more!

ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS AllSource

File Knowledge Graphs

Knowledge graph analysis built for the desktop, designed to work anywhere

A File Knowledge Graph is a new file-based format that lets analysts create, explore, and analyze knowledge graphs directly within ArcGIS desktop applications, available starting with ArcGIS Pro Advanced 3.7 and ArcGIS AllSource 1.6. GIS analysts can now get started quickly with advanced graph visualizations in link charts and maps, point-and-click analytic tools, and data integration and management capabilities—without requiring an ArcGIS Enterprise deployment or Knowledge Server license. With ArcGIS Pro Plus, Pro Advanced Standalone, or ArcGIS AllSource licensing, analysts can work with rich graph models locally while still using familiar desktop workflows.

As requirements grow, File Knowledge Graphs provide a clear path to scale into enterprise knowledge graphs with ArcGIS Enterprise. With Knowledge Server, organizations benefit from the multi-user collaboration and sharing features, the web analysis workbench Knowledge Studio and the ability to monitor for complex patterns in your data using the service driven architecture of ArcGIS Enterprise, among other features.

Existing users of ArcGIS Knowledge Server with ArcGIS Enterprise now also have a path to take graph analysis offline in disconnected or restricted environments where access to centralized services is limited. Future release will include more seamless integrations between File and Enterprise-based Knowledge Graphs.

Manage knowledge graphs with greater consistency and less manual effort

New geoprocessing tools and workflow enhancements help teams manage knowledge graphs with greater consistency and less manual effort. Tools such as Create File Knowledge Graph,  Copy Knowledge Graph Types, and Export Enterprise Knowledge Graph within ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS AllSource support standardized, repeatable workflows for creating, reusing, and moving graphs across local files and shared systems, in desktop workflows. Improvements to Load Table and ModelBuilder further increase automation, enabling data managers to accelerate graph creation and maintenance with more control and less manual work.

ArcGIS Knowledge Studio

Reduce friction between analysis and data editing by drawing entities and relationships

ArcGIS Knowledge Studio, the web app that accompanies ArcGIS Knowledge Server, introduces additional options for in-context editing directly within the browser. Analysts can now draw entities and relationships in Link Charts, edit domains including range and coded domains, update provenance, and refine geometry in map views, all within Knowledge Studio. This enables teams to curate, correct, and enrich graph data as questions emerge, move faster from insight to action, and maintain higher quality knowledge graphs.

Improve graph query exploration with syntax highlighting and charts 

ArcGIS Knowledge Studio improves graph exploration by making it easier to write queries and understand results. The query experience is improved with syntax highlighting and autocomplete, helping you write and refine queries faster and with fewer errors. 

To better interpret results, you can now preview query outputs as charts, making it easier to identify patterns, filter relevant entities and relationships, and add them directly to maps or link charts. Within link charts, new controls such as setting root nodes provide finer control over how results are visualized, supporting both new and advanced users as they explore graph data. 

Enable consistent context on the web with custom overview cards  

Custom overview cards allow teams to define how key entities and relationships are summarized, highlighting the most relevant information in a consistent, curated view. For example, a “person” entity could display a name, known associated, recent activity, and risk score, instead of a long list of fields.  

These cards, created in ArcGIS Knowledge Server desktop investigation views, can now be used directly in ArcGIS Knowledge Studio when set as a default. This allows analysts to bring trusted summaries from desktop to the web, preserving context and reducing the need to recreate information when switching environments.  

ArcGIS Enterprise

Share insights to stakeholders with ArcGIS Web app integrations 

Enhancements with ArcGIS Dashboards, ArcGIS Instant Apps, and ArcGIS StoryMaps

Knowledge graph layers now integrate more deeply across ArcGIS web apps, making it easier for you to share graph–driven insights in focused experiences. ArcGIS Dashboards now officially supports knowledge graph layers in maps as well as graph queries in ArcGIS Arcade expressions as data sources for visualization and cross–filtering. ArcGIS Instant Apps now lets users switch layouts and easily show or hide knowledge graphs layers in the Media and Basic app templates. ArcGIS StoryMaps can now directly include link charts, enabling richer, more connected narratives. For example, an analyst can explore relationships in Knowledge Studio, publish a focused link chart for stakeholders, and immediately embed the same link chart in a StoryMap story to tell a clear, connected story more quickly.

ArcGIS Knowledge Server

Replicate and sync knowledge graphs across teams

Create graph replicas, synchronize them using one-way or two-way patterns, and share focused subgraphs while keeping sensitive data isolated. Replication is especially valuable in distributed environments where data spans multiple systems and insights depend on maintaining connected relationships across the full graph.

Note: In this initial release, programmatic synchronization between parent graphs and replicas requires developer-built middleware to manage synchronization schedules. This means organizations must create their own scripts, services, or automation workflows to control how and when data is synced between graphs, as built-in scheduling and orchestration are not yet provided.

Closing it out with knowledge for you