Introduction to ArcGIS REST JS

ArcGIS REST JS is a lightweight, open source JavaScript library for working with the ArcGIS REST APIs in client-side web apps and server-side Node.js environments. It provides wrapper classes for accessing ArcGIS servicesA service, also known as an ArcGIS service, is software that supports an ArcGIS REST API and provides geospatial functionality or data. A service can be hosted by Esri or in ArcGIS Enterprise.Learn more to build mapping and spatial analysis applications. Common tasks include querying data, geocoding, routing, and managing portal content.

ArcGIS REST JS does not render maps or visual elements. It is designed to be flexible and works in both browser (client side) and server side JavaScript environments, as well as across different module systems. The library is distributed as native ES modules, CommonJS modules, and UMD modules.

Capabilities

ArcGIS REST JS provides a lightweight, modular design for accessing ArcGIS REST API service endpoints. Its capabilities include:

• Simple functions for tasks such as querying data, geocoding, routing, data enrichment, elevation, and content management
• Support for multiple authentication patterns in both client and server environments
• Flexible setup options through a CDN, Node.js, or modern module bundlers
• Easy integration with mapping libraries such as ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript, Leaflet, MapLibre GL JS, OpenLayers, and CesiumJS

Packages

ArcGIS REST JS divides functionality into separate packages. This structure helps reduce application size by including only the functionality an application needs. All packages have a peer dependency on @esri/arcgis-rest-request that handles authentication.

Package	Description
@esri/arcgis-rest-request	Core package for request and response handling, authentication, and error processing. Required for all other packages.
@esri/arcgis-rest-feature-service	Provides functions to query and edit featuresA feature is a single record, also known as a row, that represents a real-world entity. It typically contains a geometry (point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon) and attributes but it can also contain just attributes.Learn more in hosted feature layersA hosted layer is an item in a portal that contains the properties and settings for a hosted data service or a layer in a hosted data service.Learn more.
@esri/arcgis-rest-geocoding	A geocoding wrapper for ArcGIS REST JS.
@esri/arcgis-rest-routing	A routing and directions wrapper for ArcGIS REST JS.
@esri/arcgis-rest-demographics	Accesses the ArcGIS GeoEnrichment serviceA GeoEnrichment service is a service that aggregates demographic data and local facts for locations around the world. It is used to provide insight about the people and places near a location. It is hosted by Esri as the ArcGIS GeoEnrichment service and can also be hosted in ArcGIS Enterprise.Learn more.
@esri/arcgis-rest-elevation	Accesses the ArcGIS Elevation serviceThe elevation service, also known as ArcGIS Elevation service, is a location service hosted by Esri that returns TopoBathy elevation values for a single location or multiple locations.Learn more.
@esri/arcgis-rest-places	Accesses the ArcGIS Places serviceThe places service, also known as ArcGIS Places service, is a location service hosted by Esri that can search for businesses and geographic locations around the world and return detailed information about each place.Learn more.
@esri/arcgis-rest-portal	Accesses and manages users, groups, and content in an ArcGIS PortalArcGIS portal, also known as a portal, is a website with applications and tools that can be used to create, manage, access, and share geospatial content and data. It supports security and authentication, developer credentials, content and data service management, user and group management, and site administration. A portal can be hosted in Esri's infrastructure or your own infrastructure.Learn more.
@esri/arcgis-rest-developer-credentials	Manages API keysAPI key credentials are an item that contains the parameters used to create and manage long-lived access tokens for API key authentication. They are a type of developer credential.Learn more and OAuth 2.0OAuth credentials are an item that contains parameters required to implement user authentication or app authentication, including a client_id, client_secret, and redirect URIs. They are a type of developer credential.Learn more application credentials.
@esri/arcgis-rest-basemap-sessions	Helpers for starting and managing basemap sessions in ArcGIS REST JS.

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