Data publishing
What is data publishing?
Data publishing is the process of making your data available as a hosted layer in ArcGIS. To do so, you use interactive data management tools found in ArcGIS Online and the developer dashboard. To publish data you need an ArcGIS Developer account or ArcGIS Online account. This gives you access to both data management tools and cloud space to store your data.
For each dataset published, a new item page, hosted layer and data service are created in ArcGIS. To learn how to manage the settings and sharing properties of a hosted layer, go to Data management.
How to publish data
There are three ways to publish data as hosted layers:
- Import data: Upload a file with your existing data to create a hosted feature layer.
- Create new data: Define a new empty hosted feature layer.
- Convert data: Create a new image tile or vector tile layer from an existing hosted feature layer.
Import data
Importing data is the process of uploading a data file to create a hosted feature layer. Data files are CSV, GeoJSON, or Shapefile files with attribute and geometry data. These files can be uploaded by data management tools to create a data service. Once hosted, you can query, edit, and update the data by accessing the feature layer in the feature service.
How to import data
To import files, you can use either of the following tools:
- Go to ArcGIS Online > Content > Add item.
- Go to ArcGIS for Developers > Dashboard > Layers > Import data.
When a file is imported, a new hosted feature layer is created with the following:
- Item: Feature layer (hosted) or Table (hosted)
- Layer and data service: Feature layer or table in a Feature service.
If the source file contains coordinate, geometry, or address information, a feature layer is created. If the source file does not contain coordinate information, a table and a layer are created.
Supported file types
You can upload file types such as CSV, XLS, GeoJSON, Shapefile, and File Geodatabase files. To see a full list, visit Supported types.
Tools, data, and services
Below is a description of the tools, input files, and the hosted layer created when importing data.
Tool | Input File Type | Input Data format | Output Item type | Output Layer and Data Service | Use Case |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. ArcGIS Online (Add item) 2. Developer dashboard (Import data) | CSV or XLS(X) file Google sheets | Coordinate fields e.g. x, y, latitude, longitude Address field(s) Attribute fields | Feature layer (hosted) | Feature layer (Feature service) | Access and display features, SQL and spatial queries, Edit features, Sync, Extract, Offline |
1. ArcGIS Online (Add item) 2. Developer dashboard (Import data) | CSV or XLS(X) file Google sheets | Attribute fields | Table (hosted) | Table (Feature Service) | Access features, SQL Query, Update, Sync, Extract, Offline |
1. ArcGIS Online (Add item) 2. Developer dashboard (Import data) | GeoJSON file* | Geometry (points, lines, and polygons) Attributes | Feature layer (hosted) | Feature layer (Feature service) | Display features, SQL and spatial queries, Edit features, Sync, Extract, Offline |
1. ArcGIS Online (Add item) 2. Developer dashboard (Import data) | Shapefile (zipped) | Geometry (points, lines, or polygons) Attributes | Feature layer (hosted) | Feature layer (Feature service) | Display features, SQL and spatial queries, Edit features, Sync, Extract, Offline |
1. ArcGIS Online (Add item) 2. Developer dashboard (Import data) | File Geodatabase (zipped)* | Geometry (points, lines, or polygons) and Attributes Attributes | Feature layer (hosted) Table (hosted) | Feature layer (hosted) (Feature service) | Display features, SQL and spatial queries, Edit features, Sync, Extract, Offline |
*If a file contains multiple geometry types, a separate layer is created for each type. Feature layers support only one geometry type per layer.
Create new data
Creating new data is the process of defining a new empty hosted feature layer.
You typically use this process when you need to publish an empty feature layer with with either point, line, or polygon geometry types with a specific data schema. You can then build custom applications such as a data collection application to add features to the layer.
How to create a new feature layer
To create a new feature layer, you can use either of the following tools:
- Go to ArcGIS Online > Content > Create > Feature layer. You can then create a layer from a template, an existing layer, or from a URL.
- Go to ArcGIS for Developers > Dashboard > Layers > Create data > New hosted layer (Feature layer). You can then define the geometry type and fields for the layer interactively.
Either tool will create a new hosted feature layer with the following:
- Item: Feature layer (hosted)
- Layer and data service: Feature layer in a Feature service.
Next, the most common step is to add data to the new layer. You can use tools such as the Map Viewer to add, update, and delete features.
Tools, data, and services
Below is a description of the tools, input data, and the hosted layer created.
Tool | Input Data Source | Input Data Format | Output Item type | Output Layer and Data Service | Use Case |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ArcGIS Online (Create) | Template Hosted feature layer Layer URL | Feature layer (hosted) | Feature layer (hosted) | Feature layer (Feature service) | Display features, SQL and spatial queries, Edit features, Sync, Extract, Offline |
Developer dashboard (Add Data) | None. The geometry type and fields are defined interactively. | None | Feature layer (hosted) | Feature layer (Feature service) | Display features, SQL and spatial queries, Edit features, Sync, Extract, Offline |
Convert data
Converting data, also known as publishing a new hosted layer, is the process of accessing an existing hosted layer to create a new type of hosted layer.
You typically use this process to publish a new type of hosted layer that can be more easily accessed by applications or to optimize accessing data.
How to publish new types of hosted layers
To create a new layer from a feature layer, you can use the following tools:
- Go to ArcGIS Online > Content, click an existing feature layer, and then click Publish. Choose Vector tile layer, Tile layer, or WFS layer.
- Go to ArcGIS for Developers > Dashboard > Layers, click an existing feature layer. In the Overview, click Publish vector tile layer from the Publish as new layer box .
When you use these tools, the following are created:
- Item: An item that matches the type of new layer created.
- Layer and data service: One of the following types layers and/or service:
- Tile layer in an image tile service.
- Vector tile layer in a vector tile service.
- WFS layer that references a feature service.
- Scene layer (points only) that references a scene service.
Tools, data, and services
Below is a list of the tools, input data source, and the hosted layer created.
Tool | Input Data Source | Output Item type | Output Layer and Data Service | Use Case | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. ArcGIS Online (Publish) 2. Developer dashboard (Create data) | Feature layer (hosted) | Tile layer (Image tiles) (hosted) | Image tile service (Map Service) | Data access | Display static tiles |
1. ArcGIS Online (Publish) 2. Developer dashboard (Create data) | Feature layer (hosted) | Tile layer (Vector tiles) (hosted) | Vector tile service | Data access | Display vector tile data |
1. ArcGIS Online (Publish) 2. Developer dashboard (Create data) | Feature layer (hosted) | WFS (hosted) | Feature service | Data access, query | Display features as WFS |
1. ArcGIS Online (Publish) 2. Developer dashboard (Create data) | Feature layer (hosted) | Scene Layer (hosted) | Scene service | Data access | Display 3D data |
Tutorials

Import data as a feature layer
Use data management tools to import and create hosted feature layers.

Create a new feature layer
Use data management tools to create a new hosted feature layer.

Manage a feature layer
Set the properties and capabilities of a hosted feature layer.

Access feature layer data
Use ArcGIS Online tools to access and display feature layer data.

Publish a vector tile layer
Use ArcGIS Online to publish a vector tile layer.
Services
Feature service
Add, update, delete, and query feature data.
Vector tile service
Store and access vector tile data.
Image tile service
Store and access image tile data.
API support
- 1. Access portal via HTTP request and authentication.
- 2. Access via ArcGIS REST JS.
- 3. Requires manual application of renderers