Info ArcGIS Pro vs. ArcGIS Online
ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online are two different platforms with different interfaces and features. If you attempt to use the wrong platform for an exercise, you will not be able to follow the directions and complete the exercise you are working on. It is important that you know the differences between the two.
ArcGIS Pro is a piece of software installed on a computer. Even if you are using the internet to access the remote connection, ArcGIS Pro itself is still installed and running on the remote computer you are connected to. The data you create in ArcGIS Pro will be stored on the computer that ArcGIS Pro is installed on. In general, ArcGIS Pro has much more capability to perform complex analysis and customize the display of your data than ArcGIS Online does.
The ArcGIS Pro home screen. Notice on the taskbar at the bottom how ArcGIS Pro is its own program.
ArcGIS Online (https://arcgis.com/) is a platform for web GIS accessed through a website in a browser. Everything you do in ArcGIS Online is processed and stored on web servers, not the computer you are using to access it through a browser. The data you create in ArcGIS Online will be stored on those servers. In general, ArcGIS Online has much more capability for interactive and collaborative use of GIS than ArcGIS Pro does.
The ArcGIS Online home page. Notice on the taskbar at the bottom how it is being accessed through the Chrome browser.
Although the two platforms are different, they do communicate with each other. The most important common feature is a shared log-in system. You will enter the same username and password no matter which one you happen to be using.
ArcGIS Pro on the left, ArcGIS Online on the right.
It is also possible to use data from one platform while working in the other. For example, one of the options for adding data in ArcGIS Pro is to add it directly from ArcGIS Online.
You can search for any data stored in ArcGIS Online from within ArcGIS Pro.
In this case, the ArcGIS Online data is still hosted on web servers - it is just displayed within ArcGIS Pro. You will learn more about how the two platforms interact as you use them, but always be sure that you are using the correct one for the task you're doing.
