Merge branch 'branch-1.7.2' into branch-1.7.2

Author: kadolor

docs/blog/posts/intro-to-sedona-blog.md

@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+---
+date:
+  created: 2025-07-09
+links:
+  - Apache Sedona Discord: https://discord.com/invite/9A3k5dEBsY
+  - SedonaSnow: https://app.snowflake.com/marketplace/listing/GZTYZF0RTY3/wherobots-sedonasnow
+  - Apache Sedona on Apache Flink: https://sedona.apache.org/latest/tutorial/flink/sql/
+authors:
+  - kelly
+title: Welcome to the Apache Sedona Blog!
+---
+
+<!--
+# Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+# or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+# distributed with this work for additional information
+# regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+# to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+# "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+# with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
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+# "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+# KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+# specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+-->
+
+Welcome to the brand-new blog for Apache Sedona!
+
+For several years, Apache Sedona has been the go-to open-source engine for processing massive geospatial
+datasets, extending Apache Spark to handle complex spatial operations with unparalleled speed and efficiency.
+Sedona's capabilities also extend beyond Spark, bringing spatial analytics to the Snowflake data warehouse
+with [SedonaSnow](https://app.snowflake.com/marketplace/listing/GZTYZF0RTY3/wherobots-sedonasnow) and the
+real-time streaming engine Apache Flink with a [Spatial SQL integration](https://sedona.apache.org/latest/tutorial/flink/sql/).
+
+<!-- more -->
+
+This new blog is our space to share news and best practices for the entire Sedona ecosystem.
+
+Whether you're a seasoned data scientist, an engineer building robust data pipelines, or a GIS enthusiast, this is
+your new home for practical, expert content. We'll dive into advanced tutorials, explore architectural patterns, and discuss
+the trade-offs of various spatial data strategies. From real-world case studies to our forward-looking vision for
+the project, we’ll be sharing insights to help you master and innovate with Apache Sedona.
+
+More importantly, this is a platform for the entire community—and that includes you.
+Apache Sedona is driven by its contributors, and this blog is no different. Have you built a compelling use case, mastered a
+tricky optimization, or have a tutorial you'd like to share? We strongly encourage you to become a guest author.
+Your insights and real-world stories are invaluable. To share your idea for a post or to submit a draft, please connect
+with the community on our [Apache Sedona Discord](https://discord.com/invite/9A3k5dEBsY).