A tool or service that converts addresses or place names into geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude).
Geocoding is the process; a geocoder is the tool that performs it. Geocoders work by matching an input address against a reference dataset of known addresses and their coordinates. The quality of the result depends on the quality of the reference data and the matching algorithm.
Geocoders can be local (running against a local address database) or cloud-based (using services like Google Maps, Esri, or Statistics Canada's address register). Batch geocoders process thousands of addresses at once.
Example: A public health team has a spreadsheet of 10,000 patient addresses. They run the addresses through a geocoder to add latitude and longitude coordinates to each row. The geocoded dataset can then be mapped and analyzed spatially — for example, to identify geographic clusters of a health condition.
In Canada, the National Address Register (NAR) maintained by Statistics Canada and Natural Resources Canada is a key reference dataset for geocoding.