Shapefiles are the lingua franca of desktop GIS, but they are awkward on the web: a single "shapefile" is really several files, and browsers cannot read them directly. The fix is to convert to GeoJSON. Here is how to do it without installing any software.
Gather all the pieces
A Shapefile is a set of files that travel together. At minimum you need the .shp (geometry), .shx (index), and .dbf (attributes). The .prj file is important too — it records the coordinate system, which the converter needs to place your data correctly.
Upload and convert
Upload the Shapefile to MapDataHub. The server reads the geometry and attributes, reprojects the data to WGS 84 if needed, and renders it on the map. Once it is loaded, use the export button to download a clean .geojson version of the same data.
Why convert at all?
- GeoJSON is a single file, so there is nothing to zip or keep in sync.
- It works directly with web mapping libraries — no server-side translation needed.
- It is plain text, so you can inspect, diff, and version-control it.
- It is far easier to share: one file, one link.
If your Shapefile came without a .prj file, ask whoever produced it which coordinate system it uses. Without it, the data may load in the wrong place on the map.