It extends object-relational database management systems (DBMS) to handle spatiotemporal data types.

Its vector data model is upwards compliant with Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards.

TerraLib is implemented as a library of C++ classes and functions, written in ANSI-C++, and has programming interfaces in Java and Visual Basic.

The team includes the Image Processing Division of Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE), and the Computer Graphics Technology Group of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio).

[citation needed] TerraView supports vector operations including intersection and buffer maps.

TerraAmazon is a free GIS software developed by Brazil´s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and FUNCATE.

The data accessed by TerraAmazon is stored in a TerraLib model database and is worked within an intranet client–server environment, typically using PostgreSQL.