ST_AsText vs ST_AsGeoJSON: Which PostGIS Export Should You Use?

ST_AsText and ST_AsGeoJSON serialize the same PostGIS geometry for different workflows. WKT is compact and convenient for SQL consoles; GeoJSON fits naturally into JavaScript, HTTP APIs and web maps.

Choose ST_AsText for inspection and copy/paste

SELECT id, ST_AsText(ST_Transform(geom, 4326)) AS wkt
FROM parcels
WHERE id = 42;

WKT is ideal when a developer wants to eyeball a geometry or paste it into a map viewer. It describes geometry only, so attach attributes separately.

Choose ST_AsGeoJSON for apps and APIs

SELECT jsonb_build_object(
  'type', 'Feature',
  'geometry', ST_AsGeoJSON(ST_Transform(geom, 4326))::jsonb,
  'properties', to_jsonb(p) - 'geom'
) FROM parcels AS p;

GeoJSON can carry a complete Feature with properties and is immediately consumable by mapping libraries. Open a result in the GeoJSON viewer, or use WKT Studio's REST API when the workflow needs persistent projects.

Practical decision

Use ST_AsText for debugging, tickets and human review. Use ST_AsGeoJSON for web clients and APIs. In both cases, transform to 4326 when the destination is a conventional web map and verify longitude/latitude order.