Image tile service
An image tile service is a type of data service that stores and provides access to image tiles. An image tile service can also package image tiles for offline use as image tile packages. Image tile services are created and managed using data management tools and are accessed with a REST API.
Mapping applications typically use client APIs and image tile services to access and display image tiles in a map or scene.
Key features
- Securely store image tiles in ArcGIS.
- Efficiently display large amounts of pre-rendered geographic data.
- Create image tile services from feature layers.
- Access and view image tiles while offline.
How to use an image tile service
You typically use an image tile service by:
- Creating an image tile service using data managament tools.
- Displaying image tiles from the image tile service in a map or scene.
How an image tile service works
An image tile service is accessed using the base service URL and consists of properties describing the service. Some key properties are:
- Name
- Default geographic extent for viewing tiles
- Bounding geographic extent for all tiles
- Supported image formats
- Tiling information
An image tile service also provides:
- A REST API for programmatic access.
- A web page for exploring and interacting with the image tile service.
- Operations for working offline with image tiles stored in the image tile service.
Image tile service URL
Image tile services only support an enhanced endpoint. To access an image tile service, use the host, unique service ID, and service name.
For example:
Learn more about standard and enhanced endpoints in Service endpoints.
Required parameters
f
The format of the query response:
json
pjson
geojson
html
pbf
ArcGIS client APIs use json
(or pbf
when displaying content in a map view or scene view). Many open source APIs use geojson
.
To see which formats are supported for a particular feature layer, see the supports
property of the feature layer.
token
The access token used to access restricted operations or private content. The value can be an API Key or OAuth 2.0 token.
API keys are limited and do not provide access to restricted operations, but they can be used to access private content such as private feature layers, vector tile layers, image tile layers, web maps, and web scenes. API keys must be scoped to access specific content.
OAuth 2.0 tokens, however, can be used to access restricted operations and all private data types within the scope of the user's credentials.
Learn more about access tokens and authentication methods in Security and authentication.
Image tile URL
To get an image tile from an image tile service, use the host, unique service ID, and service name, and path to tiles in {z}/{y}/{x}
format.
Example:
Learn more about standard and enhanced endpoints in Service endpoints.
Code examples
Get tile format information from an image tile service
Get the image tile service description properties for this service as formatted JSON.
The service is shared with everyone, so no token
is required.
The properties show that the image tiles in the image tile service are created in Web Mercator projection (this is a common projection for web basemaps, and has a WKID or 3857
). Each tile is a JPEG
image of 256
x256
pixels at 96
pixels per inch.
Tiles are available for zoom levels (also known as LODs, or Levels of Detail) 0 through 23.
Authentication
To make authenticated requests you need to use one of the following:
- API key: A permanent token that grants your application access to ready-to-use services and, with an ArcGIS Developer account, private content (currently in beta).
- User authentication (formerly _ArcGIS identity): Grants a short-lived token, generated via OAuth 2.0, giving your application permission to access the content and services authorized to an existing ArcGIS user's account.
- App credential authentication: Grants a short-lived token, generated via OAuth 2.0, authorizing your application access to ready-to-use services. See usage restrictions.
Learn more about getting access tokens in Security and authentication.
API support
- 1. Access portal via HTTP request and authentication.
- 2. Access via ArcGIS REST JS.
- 3. Requires manual application of renderers
Pricing
To determine how much it costs to access the service:
- If you have an ArcGIS Developer account, go to Pricing. Transactions are billed in US dollars. A free tier of transactions may be available.
- If you have an ArcGIS Online account, go to Understand credits. Transactions are billed in credits.
Tutorials
To learn how to work with image tile services that are hosted in ArcGIS, try the following tutorial.