There are two main types of applications you can create with the portal service:
Content management applications
A content management application is built with client APIs or REST API, to access the portal service directly, and can perform operations such as creating, accessing, and managing items, users, and groups.
For example, you can build applications that:
- Search for public or private content.
- Create new items.
- Manage and update item properties.
- Organize content.
- Create groups, assign users, and share items.
- Update an item's content.
The general steps for building content management applications are:
- Connect to the portal service at https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest.
- Make requests to the portal service. An access token may be required.
Access tokens are required to make requests to restricted operations in the portal service, such as accessing private content or creating new content. In most cases, you will need to use an OAuth 2.0 token because API keys only provide access to private content such as feature layers and vector tile layers. To access all other restricted operations, an OAuth 2.0 token is required.
Learn more about using access tokens.
Workflow
Get a content item
The examples below show how to access a public and private item by ID.
See more examples in Search, Items, Users and Groups.
APIs
from arcgis.gis import GIS
gis = GIS()
item = gis.content.get("5a5147abe878444cbac68dea9f2f64e7")
print(item)
const portal = new Portal({
url: "https://www.arcgis.com/",
authMode = "immediate"
});
// OR
esriConfig.apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY" // Scoped to access item below
const portalItem = new PortalItem({
portal: portal,
id: "ITEM_ID"
});
portalItem.load().then((response)=>{
console.log(response);
});
REST API
## Public
curl https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/5a5147abe878444cbac68dea9f2f64e7 \
-d 'f=pjson'
## Private
curl https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/<ITEM_ID> \
-d 'f=pjson' \
-d 'token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>'
Response
// Public
{
"id": "5a5147abe878444cbac68dea9f2f64e7",
"owner": "esri_devlabs",
"orgId": "GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi",
"created": 1569537110000,
"modified": 1569537111000,
"guid": null,
"name": null,
"title": "Seven Natural Wonders of the World Map",
"type": "Web Map"
}
// Private
{
"id": "ITEM_ID",
"owner": "OWNER",
"orgId": "ORG_ID",
"created": "DATE_CREATED",
"modified": "DATE_MODIFIED",
"guid": null,
"name": null,
"title": "ITEM_TITLE",
"type": "ITEM_TYPE"
}
Content-driven applications
Content-driven applications are built following a tools-first workflow, where you first create content in the portal with an interactive tool, such as ArcGIS Online or the developer dashboard, and then build a custom application to access the content.
Some examples of tools that can create content for applications are:
- Map Viewer: Create and style layers in a web map.
- Scene Viewer: Create and style layers in a web scene.
- ArcGIS Online or the developer dashboard: Import data as a feature layer and set its properties.
- ArcGIS Online or the developer dashboard: Publish a vector tile layer.
- ArcGIS Vector Tile Style Editor: Style a basemap layer.
The general steps for building content-driven applications are:
- Create content such as a web map, web scene, or hosted layer with tools.
- Manage the content items with tools.
- Access the content items with a custom application.
See the tutorial workflows below for examples.
Workflows
Use tools to create different types of content and build content-driven applications.
Create and access web maps
The Map Viewer can be used to interactively create and style a map for your applications. The Map Viewer provides a number of features to help you style layers and pop-ups to produce high-quality cartography in your map. Once styled and saved in the portal, you can access the web map by its item ID and use it in your applications. Web maps are stored as a JSON object in a web map item.
Workflow
- Create a web map with the Map Viewer.
- Style the layers and configure pop-ups.
- Display the web map in an application.
Create and access web scenes
The Scene Viewer can be used to interactively create and style a 3D web scene for your applications. Similar to the Map Viewer, the Scene Viewer allows you access and style layers to create high-quality 3D visualizations. You can also set the initial camera viewpoint. Once styled and saved in the portal, you can access the web scene by its item ID and use it in your 3D applications. Web scenes are stored as a JSON object in a web scene item.
Workflow
- Create a web scene with the Scene Viewer.
- Style the layers and configure pop-ups.
- Display the web scene in an application.
Create and access feature services
Tools such as ArcGIS Online and the developer dashboard can be used to import data in different formats such as CSV, GeoJSON, and Shapefile, and host the data in the portal as a hosted layer item. Once imported, you can use the tools to manage the layer item and access the data service. For example, you can add or remove fields that are accessible, change the default layer style, or change the sharing settings to private, public, or shared with a group. Applications can access hosted layers by the layer item ID or the data service URL. Learn more about hosting data in Data hosting.
Workflow
- Import data as a feature layer in a feature service.
- Configure the feature layer.
- Display the feature layer in an application.

Import data to create a feature layer
Use data management tools to import files and create a feature layer in a feature service.

Manage a feature layer
Use a hosted feature layer item to set the properties and settings of a feature layer in a feature service.

Add a feature layer
Access and display point, line, and polygon features from a feature service.
Create and access vector tile services
You can also use tools such as ArcGIS Online and the developer dashboard to publish vector tile layers from feature layers. If the feature layer contains styles, the styles will be exported and applied to the new vector tile layer. Vector tile layers and their styles are stored as tile layer items in the portal. Once in the portal, you can manage the layer properties and easily access the vector tile layers from applications.
Workflow
- Create a feature layer, style it, and then publish a new vector tile service.
- Display the vector tile service in an application.
Create and access custom basemap styles
The Vector tile style editor can be used to create your own custom basemap styles and use them in applications. The editor allows you to create a new style with custom colors, fonts, and images and store them as new vector tile layer items in the portal. Once stored in the portal, applications can access the vector tile layer and styles easily from applications.
Workflow
- Create a new basemap style with the Vector tile style editor.
- Display the basemap style in an application.
Services
Portal service
Store, manage, and access private and public content.
API support
- 1. Limited operations, use HTTP requests.
- 2. Access via ArcGIS REST JS.
Tools
Use tools to access the portal and create and manage content for applications.
Developer dashboard
Manage API keys, service usage, and data with the ArcGIS Developers website.
ArcGIS.com
Create, manage, and share content and data with GIS tools.
ArcGIS Enterprise
Create, manage, analyze, and share data, maps, and applications in your organization.
Map Viewer
Create, explore, and share web maps for 2D applications.
Scene Viewer
Create, explore, and share web scenes for 3D applications.
Vector tile style editor
Style vector tile basemap layers for applications.
ArcGIS Pro
Explore, visualize, and analyze both 2D and 3D data with desktop GIS tools.