What is one significant limitation of shapefiles compared to feature classes?

One significant limitation of shapefiles compared to feature classes is that shapefiles cannot store topology. Topology refers to the relationships between spatial features, including how they connect and interact with one another. This feature is crucial in many applications within GIS, particularly those that require strict adherence to spatial relationships, such as in urban planning, transportation networks, and environmental analysis.

In contrast, feature classes in a geodatabase can store and maintain topological relationships through specific geodatabase rules. This allows for more advanced spatial analysis and ensures data integrity, as it helps prevent common errors such as overlapping polygons or disconnected lines. Topology within feature classes facilitates the enforcement of data integrity rules that can support more complex queries and analyses, which are not possible with shapefiles.

Shapefiles, while widely used for simpler GIS tasks, have limitations in terms of data structure and capabilities, primarily because they were designed as a simpler, flat-file format. Thus, the absence of topology is a notable drawback in more complex GIS applications where the understanding of spatial relationships is essential.