A map tile, also known as a raster tile, is an image file (typically in PNG format) returned form a map tile service. The image file is part of a set of tiles that, conceptually, are pieces of a bigger map. How the tiles fit into the bigger map, along with other information, is defined in a tiling scheme.
Related terms
- tile
A tile is an image, often a graphics file (such as a .jpg), typically stored in a directory known as a cache. The image is part of a set of tiles that, conceptually, are pieces of a bigger map. - map tile service
A map tile service, formerly known as image tile service, is a data service that provides access to static, pre-rendered mao tiles. The tiles are typical in PNG format. Map tiles are typically retrieved by specifying a specific level, row, and column value. - tile cache
A tile cache is a collection of tiles and metadata about how they should be used. A TPK contains a tile cache, for example.