Display features

To display featuresA feature is a single record, also known as a row, that represents a real-world entity. It typically contains a geometry (point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon) and attributes but it can also contain just attributes.Learn more in a feature layerA feature layer (server-side) is a spatially-enabled table in a feature service. All features in a feature layer share the same geometry type and set of fields.Learn more, you need to use a client-side mapping API such as an ArcGIS Maps SDKArcGIS Maps SDKs are developer products for building mapping and spatial analysis applications for web browsers, native devices, and game engines.Learn more or open source library. In most cases, the APIs provide a class to access the feature serviceA feature service is a data service that provides access to spatial and non-spatial data in feature layers, feature layer views, and tables.Learn more with a service URL or item ID. The API is responsible for making query requests for features for the visible map extent.

You display features when you want to:

• Draw points, polylines, or polygons on a map
• Draw features with specific visualization and styling
• Access the feature geometryA geometry is a geometric shape, such as a point, polyline, or polygon, that contains one or more coordinates and a spatial reference.Learn more for a feature layer
• Access the feature attributesAttributes are fields and values for a single feature or non-spatial record. They are typically stored in a database or service such as a feature service.Learn more for a feature layer
• Display features with visualization settings defined in the hosted feature layerA hosted feature layer is a hosted layer (item) in a portal that is used to manage the properties and settings of a spatially-enabled feature layer in a feature service.Learn more (item)

How to display features

To display featuresA feature is a single record, also known as a row, that represents a real-world entity. It typically contains a geometry (point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon) and attributes but it can also contain just attributes.Learn more, a client-side mapping API needs to use the feature service URL or hosted feature layerA hosted feature layer is a hosted layer (item) in a portal that is used to manage the properties and settings of a spatially-enabled feature layer in a feature service.Learn more (item) ID to query features from the feature serviceA feature service is a data service that provides access to spatial and non-spatial data in feature layers, feature layer views, and tables.Learn more. If the map extent is large and contains many features to display, the client-side API is required to perform multiple query requests to get all of the features to fill the area on the map. At a minimum, the extentAn extent is a bounding rectangle with points that delineate an area for a map or scene.Learn more with the area of the map that requires features and the fields you would like returned with each feature need to be provided. The ArcGIS Maps SDKsArcGIS Maps SDKs are developer products for building mapping and spatial analysis applications for web browsers, native devices, and game engines.Learn more automatically provide these parameters in addition to other parameters to optimize each request. When using open source libraries, you typically have to provide the parameters yourself.

The steps to access and display features are:

1. Find the service URL or item ID for the feature layer you want to display.
2. Use the service URL or item ID in an API to query features.
3. Display the features in a map.

Feature queries and caches

When you query and/or display featuresA feature is a single record, also known as a row, that represents a real-world entity. It typically contains a geometry (point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon) and attributes but it can also contain just attributes.Learn more, different response caches are available to help maximize the performance and scalability of applications. A response cache is the data returned from a query request that is stored and managed so it can be reused by clients. Response caches are only beneficial to applications that make repeatable queries. Making use of response caches improves both performance and scalability allowing your application to perform well even when experiencing high load.

There are multiple levels of caches available to applications. This includes the following:

1. Client-side cache: A response cache stored and managed by a web browser, native application, or operating system.
2. CDN cache: A response cache stored and managed by CDN servers worldwide (ArcGIS Location Platform and ArcGIS Online only). This cache is configurable.
3. Feature tile cache: A response cache stored and managed internally by the feature service.

All three levels of caches can exist at the same time. How the caches are used by an application, however, depends on the type of API you are using, the CDN cache max age settings you apply, and the parameters you include with the request.

In general, when a query request is sent to a feature service, the response caches are accessed in the following order:

1. Client-side cache (if available)
2. CDN cache (if available)
3. Feature tile cache (if available)

If a cache is available, the response cache is sent back to the client immediately. If a cache isn't available, the request will look for the next level of cache that is available. If no caches are found, the query is processed by the feature serviceA feature service is a data service that provides access to spatial and non-spatial data in feature layers, feature layer views, and tables.Learn more and the response is sent back to the client. If the response is cacheable, it will be stored at the appropriate caching level so it can be reused in the future.

Code examples

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      esriConfig.apiKey = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

      const parcelsLayer = new FeatureLayer({
        url: "https://services3.arcgis.com/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/ArcGIS/rest/services/Santa_Monica_Public_Parcels/FeatureServer/0",
        renderer: uniqueValRender,
      });

      map.add(parcelsLayer);

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      const parcelsLayer = new FeatureLayer({
        portalItem: {
          id: "b5d71d19fd4b43fbb88abf07773ec0c7",
        },
      });
      map.add(parcelsLayer);

Tutorials

Add a feature layer

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

JavaScript Maps SDKKotlin Maps SDKSwift Maps SDK.NET Maps SDKJava Maps SDKQt Maps SDKLeafletMapLibre GL JSOpenLayersCesiumJSPython APIREST JS

Add a vector tile layer

Access and display a vector tile layer in a map.

JavaScript Maps SDKLeafletMapLibre GL JSOpenLayers

Add a map tile layer

Access and display a map tile layer in a map.

LeafletMapLibre GL JSOpenLayersCesiumJS

Style a feature layer

Use symbols and renderers to style feature layers.

JavaScript Maps SDKKotlin Maps SDKSwift Maps SDK.NET Maps SDKJava Maps SDKQt Maps SDKLeafletMapLibre GL JSOpenLayersCesiumJS

Query a feature layer (spatial)

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

JavaScript Maps SDKLeafletMapLibre GL JSOpenLayersCesiumJSPython APIREST JSREST API

Query a feature layer (SQL)

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

JavaScript Maps SDKKotlin Maps SDKSwift Maps SDK.NET Maps SDKJava Maps SDKQt Maps SDKLeafletMapLibre GL JSOpenLayersCesiumJSPython APIREST JSREST API

Edit feature data

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

JavaScript Maps SDKPython APIREST JSREST API

Display a popup

Format a popup to show attributes in a feature layer.

JavaScript Maps SDKLeafletMapLibre GL JSOpenLayersCesiumJS

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 data management toolsData management tools are ArcGIS software applications and functionality in portal and ArcGIS Pro that can be used by developers to create, manage, and edit content and data such as web maps, hosted layers, and data services for their applications.Learn more or Client APIsA Client API is a web, native, or scripting Application Programming Interface (including all ArcGIS, open source, and third-party APIs) that has mapping capabilities and can be used to access ArcGIS location services.Learn more to create, manage, and access data servicesData services, also known as hosted data services, are services created dynamically to store and provide access to your data in ArcGIS. Examples are feature services, vector tile services, map tile services, image services, and scene services.Learn more. The table below outlines the level of support for each API.

Tools