Getting Help in Getting Started Using Downloads From The National Map

I am seeking technical assistance with getting started using downloads from The National Map (https://apps.nationalmap.gov/downloader/). The file types they offer for download are Shapefile, FileGDB, and Geo Package.

My initial interest is simply to be able to download a data type, such as Structures, and understand the data that’s available for three or four states. This a research project, not a production project.

Simply being able to download the data and open it with some software where I can do basic SQL sorts and selections on ftype, fcode, and name is all I need in this initial stage.

I DO NOT NEED TO GET INTO plotting points or boundaries on a map or to do GIS queries such as CONTAINS, etc. I just need help in selecting the right tool to open one of the file types that’s available for download and then do some basic research to better understand the data that are available.