data layer

A data layer is a layer that references geographic data from a file or a service and is used to visualize that data in a map or scene. Data layers are displayed on top of a basemap layer. Data layers commonly reference data that is hosted and managed in ArcGIS. Some common types of data layer are: feature layers (referencing a feature service, a GeoPackage, or a shapefile), KML layers (referencing a KML file), WFS layers (referencing data stored in an OGC WFS), and tile layers which display tiles from a vector tile service or image tile service.