Display features

Display parcel feature layers in a feature service for Santa Monica

To display features in a feature layer, you need to use a client-side mapping API such as an ArcGIS Maps SDK or open source library. In most cases, the APIs provide a class to access the feature service 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 geometry for a feature layer
  • Access the feature attributes for a feature layer
  • Display features with visualization settings defined in the hosted feature layer (item)

How to display features

To display features, a client-side mapping API needs to use the feature service URL or hosted feature layer (item) ID to query features from the feature service. 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 extent 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 SDKs 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 features, 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 service 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

Display a feature layer (service URL)

To display a hosted feature layer using the service URL, reference the layer by its URL, create a renderer, and then add it to a map or scene. The API communicates with the feature service to retrieve data for the current visible extent. Using this method, you need to specify the feature attributes to return and the rendering code to use to display the features.

Steps

  1. Create a map or scene.
  2. Get the hosted feature layer URL.
  3. Create a renderer.
  4. Add the layer.

ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScriptArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScriptArcGIS Maps SDK for .NETArcGIS Maps SDK for KotlinArcGIS Maps SDK for SwiftArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaArcGIS Maps SDK for QtArcGIS API for PythonEsri LeafletMapLibre GL JSOpenLayersCesiumJS
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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)

Display a feature layer (item ID)

To display a hosted feature layer by item ID, reference the service item ID, and then add it to a map or scene. The API communicates with the feature service to retrieve data for the current visible extent. Using this method, the ArcGIS Maps SDKs will automatically use all of the settings stored in the hosted feature layer (item) to display the feature layer. This includes all of the visualization and field settings.

Steps

  1. Create a map or scene.
  2. Get the service item ID.
  3. Add the layer.

ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScriptArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScriptArcGIS Maps SDK for .NETArcGIS Maps SDK for KotlinArcGIS Maps SDK for SwiftArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaArcGIS Maps SDK for QtArcGIS API for Python
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        const parcelsLayer = new FeatureLayer({
          portalItem: {
            id: "b5d71d19fd4b43fbb88abf07773ec0c7"
          }
        });
        map.add(parcelsLayer);

Tutorials

Add a vector tile layer

Access and display a vector tile layer in a map.


Add a map tile layer

Access and display a map tile layer in a map.


Query a feature layer (spatial)

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


Edit feature data

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


Display a popup

Format a popup to show attributes in a feature layer.


Workflows

Services

API support

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

CreateManageAccess
ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript1
ArcGIS Maps SDK for Kotlin1
ArcGIS Maps SDK for Swift1
ArcGIS Maps SDK for Java1
ArcGIS Maps SDK for .NET1
ArcGIS Maps SDK for Qt1
ArcGIS API for Python
ArcGIS REST JS
Esri Leaflet2
MapLibre GL JS23
OpenLayers23
Full supportPartial supportNo support
  • 1. Use portal class and direct REST API requests
  • 2. Access via ArcGIS REST JS
  • 3. Requires manually setting styles for renderers

Tools

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