Getting a pixel count and area size of unique values for a given raster layer hasn’t been straightforward in QGIS. The user could either go through third-party solutions via processing with some limitations, or create a (slow) python script.

That is, until now. Say hello to the newly-committed processing algorithm, the “raster layer unique values report”.

The QGIS algorithm will take a raster layer as input and output an HTML formatted report listing the pixel count and area size – in the raster layer’s unit - for all unique values. Thanks to QGIS core developer Nyall Dawson’s fantastic work on the processing platform in upcoming QGIS 3.0, the algorithm is written in C++ and therefore much faster - over a tenfold improvement - to an equivalent python script.

Using QGIS’ processing modeler, users can come up with a simple model to provide unique values reports within areas of interests, defined through vector polygons: Simple processing model in QGIS 3.0

For example, using the newly-updated 2016 Global Forest Change dataset and the model above, we can quickly generate a deforestation per year chart. Simply reproject the dataset in the appropriate meter-based projection, clip it with a national boundaries polygon, et voila. Paste the resulting HTML table into your favorite spreadsheet program and enjoy the charts: Algorithm HTML output in spreadsheet view

12:00 AM under processing , qgis , raster