Introduction to feature services

What is a feature service?

A feature service is a data service that provides access to features. A feature is a single record in a dataset that typically represents a real-world geographic entity. A feature can contain attributes and/or a geometry such as a point, polyline, or polygon with attributes. Collections of features with the same geometry type and attributes are stored in the service as datasets. The datasets can be feature layers, feature layer views, or tables. To request data from a feature service, you use a SQL and/or spatial query to return features from a specific dataset. Features can be output in different formats such as JSON, GeoJSON, and PBF.

Feature services are typically used to access, edit, update, export, and display records of geographic data in mapping applications.

What can you do with a feature service?

You use feature services when you want to:

• Import files such as CSV, XLS, Google Sheets or other files that contain coordinate information.
• Access feature data in JSON, GeoJSON, or PBF format.
• Securely store collections of geometry and attribute data as features.
• Access and display features in maps and scenes.
• Display features with data-driven visualization.
• Securely share data with applications and users.
• Optimize accessing and displaying large amounts of feature data.
• Perform SQL or spatial queries.
• Edit and synchronize data edits.
• Replicate data.
• Analyze features or feature layers.
• Store and manage attachments to features.
• Update feature data frequently.
• Export the data.
• Use features in offline applications.

What does a service URL look like?

When you publish a new feature layer in a feature service, the URL is created by the system. To find the URL, you can use the hosted feature layer item in the portal associated with your ArcGIS account.

The service URL format to access a feature service is:

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https://{host}/{organizationID}/ArcGIS/rest/services/{serviceName}/FeatureServer

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https://{host}/{organizationID}/ArcGIS/rest/services/{serviceName}/FeatureServer

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https://{host}/{webadaptor}/rest/services/Hosted/{serviceName}/FeatureServer

Tutorials

Add a feature layer

Access and display point, line, and polygon features from a feature service.

JavaScript  .NET Kotlin Swift Java Qt  Esri Leaflet MapLibre OpenLayers CesiumJS  Python 

Add a vector tile layer

Access and display a vector tile layer in a map.

JavaScript  Esri Leaflet MapLibre OpenLayers 

Add a map tile layer

Access and display a map tile layer in a map.

Esri Leaflet MapLibre OpenLayers CesiumJS 

Style a feature layer

Use symbols and renderers to style feature layers.

JavaScript  .NETJava Qt  Esri Leaflet MapLibre OpenLayers CesiumJS 

Query a feature layer (spatial)

Execute a spatial query to get features from a feature layer.

JavaScript  Esri Leaflet MapLibre OpenLayers CesiumJS  Python  REST 

Query a feature layer (SQL)

Execute a SQL query to access polygon features from a feature layer.

JavaScript  .NETJava Qt  Esri Leaflet MapLibre OpenLayers CesiumJS  Python  ArcGIS REST JS  REST 

Edit feature data

Add, update, and delete features in a feature service.

JavaScript  Python  ArcGIS REST JS  REST 

Display a popup

Format a popup to show attributes in a feature layer.

JavaScript  Esri Leaflet MapLibre OpenLayers CesiumJS 

Workflows

Create a feature service for an app

Learn how to import parcel data, create and style a feature layer, and then access the features in an app.

Create a feature layer view for an editor app

Learn how to import parcel data, create and style a feature layer view, and then access the features in an editing app.

Create a vector tile service for an app

Learn how to import parcel data, style a feature layer, and then create a vector tile service for an app.

Create a map tile service for an app

Learn how to import contour data, style a feature layer, and create a map tile service for an app.

Services

API support

Use Client APIs to create, manage, and access data services. The table below outlines the level of support for each API.

Tools