Basemap layer service

The basemap layer service provides global basemap layers in a variety of styles to use in mapping applications. Basemap layers give geographic context to a map or scene by serving static tiles containing geographic reference data. This data includes, but is not limited to, topographic features, road networks, footpaths, building footprints, water features, administrative boundaries, and labels.

Key features

Some key features of the basemap layer service are:

• Basemap layers are highly optimized for fast, efficient rendering.
• Depending upon the basemap layer, data is served as vector tiles or image tiles:
  • Vector tiles contain vector data that is rendered on the client.
  • Image tiles are pre-rendered image files (typically PNGs or JPGs).
• Basemap layers include many different styles, including:
  • Day and night navigation styles, useful for driving.
  • Light and dark street focused styles, useful for urban areas.
  • Topographic and terrain styles, useful for rural areas.
  • Imagery from satellite and aerial sources that shows real-world geography.
  • Light and dark gray canvas for accentuating overlaid data.
• You can also create your own custom basemap layer styles using the ArcGIS Vector Tile Style Editor.
• Many basemap layers have options to show localized labels.
• Vector tile basemap layers can be configured to accommodate boundary disputes.
• Basemap layers can be used offline in applications built with ArcGIS Maps SDKs for Native Apps.

The basemap style you use depends on the purpose of your application, your users' needs, and on the nature of your application's data.

How the basemap layer service works

There are two ways to access basemap layers:

1. Basemap styles service: Access the basemap styles service with a URL and parameters to get the JSON definition for a specific basemap style. There are over 25 styles available. For example:

   https://basemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/styles/ArcGIS:Navigation?type=style&token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

2. Tile services: Access the vector tile service or image tile service with a formatted URL to access the tiles directly. For example:

   https://ibasemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World_Imagery/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}?token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

Basemap styles service

The basemap style service provides an easy way to access the basemap style definitions. You request a basemap style by providing the basemapStyle and type parameters. The response is a JSON structure that defines the basemap style, including references to the individual tile layers used by the style.

The JSON structure can be returned as the Mapbox Style Specification or the Esri Web Map Specification.

Basemap styles service URL

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https://basemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/styles/{basemapStyle}?type={type}&token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

Learn more about standard and enhanced endpoints in Service endpoints.

Required parameters

Default styles

To use a default style, set the basemapStyle parameter to one of the style names below. To view the styles in more detail, click the images or go to the World basemaps for developers group.

Streets and navigation

Name	Layer sources	View in ArcGIS
ArcGIS:DarkGray	Multiple
ArcGIS:DarkGray:Base	Single
ArcGIS:DarkGray:Labels	Single
ArcGIS:LightGray	Multiple
ArcGIS:LightGray:Base	Single
ArcGIS:LightGray:Labels	Single
ArcGIS:Navigation	Single
ArcGIS:NavigationNight	Single
ArcGIS:Streets	Single
ArcGIS:StreetsRelief	Multiple
ArcGIS:StreetsRelief:Base	Single
ArcGIS:StreetsNight	Single

Imagery and topography

Name	Layer sources	View in ArcGIS
ArcGIS:Imagery	Multiple
ArcGIS:Imagery:Standard	Single
ArcGIS:Imagery:Labels	Single
ArcGIS:Topographic	Multiple
ArcGIS:Topographic:Base	Single
ArcGIS:Terrain	Multiple
ArcGIS:Terrain:Base	Single
ArcGIS:Terrain:Detail	Single
ArcGIS:Oceans	Multiple
ArcGIS:Oceans:Base	Single
ArcGIS:Oceans:Labels	Single
ArcGIS:Hillshade:Dark	Single
ArcGIS:Hillshade:Light	Single

OpenStreetMap

Name	Layer sources	View in ArcGIS
OSM:Standard	Single
OSM:StandardRelief	Multiple
OSM:StandardRelief:Base	Single
OSM:DarkGray	Multiple
OSM:DarkGray:Base	Single
OSM:DarkGray:Labels	Single
OSM:LightGray	Multiple
OSM:LightGray:Base	Single
OSM:LightGray:Labels	Single
OSM:Streets	Single
OSM:StreetsRelief	Multiple
OSM:StreetsRelief:Base	Single

Creative

Name	Layer sources	View in ArcGIS
ArcGIS:HumanGeography	Multiple
ArcGIS:HumanGeography:Base	Single
ArcGIS:HumanGeography:Detail	Single
ArcGIS:HumanGeography:Label	Single
ArcGIS:HumanGeographyDark	Multiple
ArcGIS:HumanGeographyDark:Base	Single
ArcGIS:HumanGeographyDark:Detail	Single
ArcGIS:HumanGeographyDark:Label	Single
ArcGIS:ColoredPencil	Single
ArcGIS:Community	Single
ArcGIS:Nova	Single
ArcGIS:ChartedTerritory	Multiple
ArcGIS:ChartedTerritory:Base	Single
ArcGIS:Midcentury	Single
ArcGIS:Newspaper	Single
ArcGIS:ModernAntique	Multiple
ArcGIS:ModernAntique:Base	Single

Custom styles

To access a custom style with basemap styles service, you set the basemapStyle parameter to the item ID for the style created with the Vector Tile Style Editor. Custom basemap styles use the same ArcGIS and OSM vector tiles as the default styles use, except your custom style definitions are applied.

Here is an example of the URL:

• Item id: d2ff12395aeb45998c1b154e25d680e5
• URL: https://basemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/styles/d2ff12395aeb45998c1b154e25d680e5?type=style&token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

Code examples

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https://basemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/styles/ArcGIS:DarkGray/?type=style&token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

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{
  "version": 8,
  "sprite": "https://cdn.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/5e9b3685f4c24d8781073dd928ebda50/resources/styles/../sprites/sprite?token=<YOUR_API_KEY>",
  "glyphs": "https://basemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World_Basemap_v2/VectorTileServer/resources/fonts/{fontstack}/{range}.pbf?token=<YOUR_API_KEY>",
  "sources": {
    "esri": {
      "type": "vector",
      "url": "https://basemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World_Basemap_v2/VectorTileServer?token=<YOUR_API_KEY>",
      "minzoom": 0,
      "maxzoom": 16,
      "tiles": [
        "https://basemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World_Basemap_v2/VectorTileServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}.pbf?token=<YOUR_API_KEY>"
      ],
      "copyrightText": "Sources: Esri, HERE, Garmin, FAO, NOAA, USGS, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User Community",
      "attribution": "Sources: Esri, HERE, Garmin, FAO, NOAA, USGS, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User Community"
    }
  },
  "layers": [
    {
      "id": "background",

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https://basemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/styles/ArcGIS:DarkGray/?type=webmap&token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

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{
  "authoringApp": "ArcGIS Basemap Style API",
  "authoringAppVersion": "1.0",
  "version": "2.17",
  "operationalLayers": [],
  "baseMap": {
    "title": "ArcGIS:DarkGray",
    "baseMapLayers": [
      {
        "id": "5e9b3685f4c24d8781073dd928ebda50",
        "title": "World_Basemap_v2",
        "type": "VectorTileLayer",
        "layerType": "VectorTileLayer",
        "isReference": false,
        "styleUrl": "https://basemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/styles/ArcGIS:DarkGray:Base",
        "opacity": 1,
        "visibility": true
      },
      {
        "id": "747cb7a5329c478cbe6981076cc879c5",
        "title": "World_Basemap_v2",
        "type": "VectorTileLayer",
        "layerType": "VectorTileLayer",
        "isReference": true,
        "styleUrl": "https://basemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/styles/ArcGIS:DarkGray:Labels",
        "opacity": 1,
        "visibility": true
      }
    ]
  },
  "spatialReference": {
    "wkid": 102100,
    "latestWkid": 3857
  }
}

Tile services

You can access tile services directly with a URL. A basemap style definition JSON includes templates URLs to get individual basemap tiles which are displayed together to form a seamless map. Tiles are downloaded by providing x, y, and z (zoom level) values to the tile service.

A basemap style can use vector tiles and/or image tiles. Each component of a basemap (such as Base or Labels) will use a single type of tile.

Vector tile service URL

Vector tiles are served as PBF (Protocolbuffer Binary Format) tiles from https://basemaps-api.arcgis.com.

Vector tiles contain static vector data which is rendered on the client using the basemap style definition.

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https://basemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World_Basemap_v2/VectorTileServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}.pbf?token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

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https://basemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/OpenStreetMap_v2/VectorTileServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}.pbf?token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

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https://basemaps.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World_Basemap_v2/VectorTileServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}.pbf?token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

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https://basemaps.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/OpenStreetMap_v2/VectorTileServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}.pbf?token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

Learn more about standard and enhanced endpoints in Service endpoints.

Image tile service URL

Image tiles are pre-rendered and are served as images from https://ibasemaps-api.arcgis.com. Tiles are typically 256x256 pixel, 96 ppi PNG or JPEG images. The full template URL including the serviceName is returned in the basemap style JSON.

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https://ibasemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/{serviceName}/MapServer?token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

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https://ibasemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/Ocean/World_Ocean_Base/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}?token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

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https://ibasemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/Elevation/World_Hillshade/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}?token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

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https://ibasemaps-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World_Imagery/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}?token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>

Learn more about standard and enhanced endpoints in Service endpoints.

Authentication

API support

Pricing

Service data

Data providers

The data sources contributing to a basemap service layer depend on the layer. To view a list of providers, go to each item in the World basemaps for developers group.

Attribution

Basemap attribution is required when you build and deploy an application which uses the Basemap layer service. There are two types of attribution that you need to display in your application:

• Powered by Esri
• Attribution for the data source providers.

Most client APIs display attribution text by default. If the API you are using does not provide the appropriate attribution, you need to add it manually. For more information, visit basemap attribution.

Detail and accuracy

The detail and accuracy of the data varies across the globe.

Projections

Basemaps service layers are published in the Web Mercator (Auxiliary Sphere) projection.

Languages

Basemaps service layers have global labeling in English. Vector tile basemap layers are available in other languages.

Boundary disputes

Vector basemap service layers can be configured to display disputed boundaries according to a specific world view. This requires modifying the style definition JSON.

The source Esri Community Map data used to build the vector tiles has disputed boundaries defined for many areas around the world. In the Esri vector basemaps, internationally recognized national boundaries (e.g. United States / Canada border) are typically represented with different types of “solid” lines while disputed boundaries (e.g. parts of French Guiana / Suriname border) are typically represented with “dashed” lines. In some cases, a country will want to not render (i.e. make invisible) a disputed boundary that it does not recognize. See this blog for an example of how to change the JSON code and apply the DisputeID code in the filter for boundary lines.

Visit this web map to view details of all the disputed boundaries, with DisputeID codes, configured in the Esri Vector Basemaps.

Tutorials

Display a map

Create and display a map with the basemap layer service.

JavaScript .NET Kotlin Swift Java Qt Esri Leaflet MapLibre OpenLayers 

Display a scene

Display a scene with the basemap layer service.

JavaScript .NETJava Qt 

Add a point, line, and polygon

Display point, line, and polygon graphics in a map.

JavaScript .NET Kotlin Swift Java Qt 

Add a feature layer

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

JavaScript .NETJava Qt Esri Leaflet MapLibre OpenLayers 

Display a web map

Create and display a map from a web map.

JavaScript .NET Kotlin Swift Java Qt 

Display a web scene

Create and display a scene from a web scene.

JavaScript .NETJava Qt 

Change the basemap layer

Switch a basemap layer from streets to satellite imagery.

JavaScript Esri Leaflet MapLibre OpenLayers 

Create a web map

Use Map Viewer to create a web map for your application.

Map Viewer 

Create a web scene

Use Scene Viewer to create a web scene for your application.

Scene Viewer