Types of data services | Documentation

ArcGIS supports many different types of 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 to host your data. This section provides an overview of feature services, vector tile services, map tile services and image services and a comparison below.

Feature services

Feature service with points showing thermal activity detected by NOAA/NASA (last 7 days)

A 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 is a data service that provides access to 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 feature is a single record in a dataset that typically represents a real-world geographic entity. A feature can contain 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 and/or a 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 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 layersA 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, feature layer viewsA feature layer view, also known as a view, is a feature layer that only exposes a subset of the fields and data available in an existing feature layer (source).Learn more, or tablesA table is a non-spatial dataset in a feature service. All records in a table share the same set of fields.Learn more. 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.

Best practice

Use feature services to:

Perform spatial and/or SQL queries to retrieve features.
Support workflows that require frequent data updates and edits.
Access or display actual feature geometry and attribute values.
Support retrieving features for client-side data visualization and styling.
Add and store attachmentsAn attachment is a file, such as a photograph (for example, a .png file) or a document, that is associated with individual features in a geodatabase or feature layer.Learn more with features.

Avoid using feature services to:

Display very large numbers of features with dense geometries. Consider using vector tile services.

When accessing feature services:

Use the item ID instead of the service URL to retrieve all configured settings including visualization, styles, filters, and popup settings. The service URL only provides access to the layer without the configured settings.

Vector tile services

Vector tile service of the world with ArcGIS Outdoor style

A vector tile serviceA vector tile service is a data service that provides access to vector tile data and a style definition.Learn more is a data serviceData 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 that provides access to vector tile data. Vector tiles contain styleA style is the visual definition of how geographic data is displayed in a map including colors, backgrounds, outlines, labels, and other visual elements. Each style emphasizes a specific type of cartographic theme and data.Learn more and attributeAttributes 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 information. A vector tile service is created (published) from an existing 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. Each service is composed of one tiled dataset and does not contain multiple layers like feature services. The tiles are a "snapshot" of the features in the 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. If the features in the original feature layer change, the vector tile layer needs to be regenerated to match. The symbols and renderer from a feature layer are used to define the styles for the vector tiles. If the input feature layer contains attributes, the fields and values can also be stored with the vector tile data. The style for a vector tile layer adheres to the Mapbox Style specification.

Vector tile services are typically used to take advantage of GPU rendering in a browser to display large amounts of features in mapping applications.

Best practice

Use vector tile services to:

Store and access data as pre-cached vector tiles in PBF format.
Access and display vector tiles that represent very large datasets with points, polylines, or polygons.
Synchronize and update vector tile data when feature service data changes.
Provide high-resolution and high-performance rendering on the client at all scales.
Dynamically style features using the Mapbox Style specification.
Access and display attribute values stored with vector tile data.

Avoid using vector tile services to:

Support frequent feature editing workflows. Consider using feature services.
Implement complex data-driven visualizations. Consider using feature services.

When accessing vector tile services:

Use the item ID instead of the service URL to retrieve all configured settings including visualization, styles, filters, and popup settings. The service URL only provides access to the layer without the configured settings.

Map tile services

Map tile service for global landcover at small scales (global to regional)

A map tile serviceA map tile service, formerly known as image tile service, is a data service that provides access to static, pre-rendered mao tiles. The tiles are typical in PNG format. Map tiles are typically retrieved by specifying a specific level, row, and column value.Learn more, also known as a raster tile service, is a data service that provides access to tile data. The tiles are composed of images and do not contain attributes. A map tile service is created (published) from an existing 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. Each service is composed of one tiled dataset and does not contain multiple layers like feature services. The tiles represent a "snapshot" of the features 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. If the features in the feature layer change, the map tile layer needs to be regenerated to match. The tiles are stored as caches of images (PNG32) for different zoom levels. Map tile services are typically used to effectively display large amounts of feature data in mapping applications as image tiles.

Best practice

Use map tile services to:

Store and access data as pre-cached tiles in PNG32 or JPEG format.
Access and display tiles that represent very large or complex point, polyline, or polygon datasets.
Control the scales (levels) for which you want to create tiles.
Easily synchronize and update tile data when feature service data changes.
Provide support for a wide variety of client APIs.
Provide support for older web browsers.

Avoid using map tile services to:

Support frequent feature editing workflows. Consider using feature services.
Support feature and attribute access. Consider using feature services or vector tile services.
Create tiles for all possible scales (zoom levels). Consider using vector tile services.

When accessing map tile services:

Use the item ID instead of the service URL to retrieve all configured settings including visualization, styles, filters, and popup settings. The service URL only provides access to the layer without the configured settings.

Image services

Image service showing global land cover at 10 m resolution.

An image service is a data serviceData 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 that provides access to raster dataA raster is a matrix of cells (or pixels) organized into rows and columns (or a grid) where each cell contains a value representing information, such as temperature. Rasters include digital aerial photographs, imagery from satellites, digital pictures, and scanned maps.Learn more, making it accessible for use in applications like web clients, desktop applications, and field apps. You create (publish) an image service using 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 scripting APIs to upload and host your raster data in ArcGIS. Data can be output in different formats such as static tiles or exported images. An image serviceAn image service is a data service that can store, process, analyze, and share raster data.Learn more has supported capabilities such as dynamic processing, on-the-fly mosaicking and raster analytics.

You use image servicesAn image service is a data service that can store, process, analyze, and share raster data.Learn more to efficiently store, manage, process, analyze and display large collections of raster data such as:

satellite imagery
drone imagery
weather radar data
aerial photography

Best practice

Use images services to:

Store and access data as pre-cached tiles in PNG32 or JPEG format.
Access and display tiles that represent very large or complex point, polyline, or polygon datasets.
Control the scales (levels) for which you want to create tiles.
Easily synchronize and update tile data when feature service data changes.
Provide support for a wide variety of client APIs.
Provide support for older web browsers.

Avoid using image services to:

Support frequent feature editing workflows. Consider using feature services.
Support feature and attribute access. Consider using feature services or vector tile services.
Create tiles for all possible scales (zoom levels). Consider using vector tile services.

When accessing image services:

Use the item ID instead of the service URL to retrieve all configured settings including visualization, styles, filters, and popup settings. The service URL only provides access to the layer without the configured settings.

Data service comparison

The table below provides a summary of how to create different types of 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 data type and format they support, and the main operations supported.

Input format	Service type	Service layer	Data type	Output format	Key service operations	Use cases
Import data from files (CSV, XLS, GeoJSON...) or Define a new dataset	Feature service	Feature layer	Feature (geometry + attributes)	JSON, GeoJSON, PBF	`query`, `applyEdits`, `updateFeatures`, `deleteFeatures`, `addAttachment`, `append`	Store geographic features as points, polylines, and polygons with attributes, query, edit, and update features, add attachments, display features on maps
Import data from files (CSV, XLS, GeoJSON...) or Define a new dataset	Feature service	Feature layer (table)	Feature (attributes)	JSON, GeoJSON, PBF	`query`, `applyEdits`, `updateFeatures`, `deleteFeatures`, `addAttachment`, `append`	Store non-geographic features with attributes, query, edit, and update features, add attachments
Create from a feature service	Vector tile service	None	Vector tile	PBF	`/tile/<level>/<row>/<column>.pbf`, `resources/style`, `exportTiles`	Access and display large amounts of data as vector tiles, style data, access attributes
Create from a feature service	Map tile service	None	Map tile	PNG32	`/tile/<level>/<row>/<column>`, `exportTiles`	Access and display large amounts of data as map tiles

Tutorials

Import data to create a feature layer

Use data management tools to import files and create a feature layer in a feature service.

ArcGIS portal

Define a new feature layer

Use data management tools to define and create a new empty feature layer in a feature service.

ArcGIS portalPython APIREST JS

Manage a feature layer

Use a hosted feature layer item to set the properties and settings of a feature layer in a feature service.

ArcGIS portal

Create a vector tile service

Use data management tools to create a new vector tile service from a feature service.

ArcGIS portalPython APIREST JS

Create a map tile service

Use ArcGIS Online or scripting APIs to publish a map tile service.

ArcGIS portalPython APIREST JS

Add a feature layer

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

JavaScript Maps SDK Kotlin Maps SDK Swift Maps SDK .NET Maps SDK Java Maps SDK Qt Maps SDK Leaflet MapLibre GL JS OpenLayers CesiumJS Python API REST JS

Add a vector tile layer

Access and display a vector tile layer in a map.

JavaScript Maps SDK Leaflet MapLibre GL JS OpenLayers

Add a map tile layer

Access and display a map tile layer in a map.

Leaflet MapLibre GL JS OpenLayers CesiumJS

Style a feature layer

Use symbols and renderers to style feature layers.

JavaScript Maps SDK Kotlin Maps SDK Swift Maps SDK .NET Maps SDK Java Maps SDK Qt Maps SDK Leaflet MapLibre GL JS OpenLayers CesiumJS

Query a feature layer (spatial)

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

JavaScript Maps SDK Leaflet MapLibre GL JS OpenLayers CesiumJS Python API REST JS REST API

Query a feature layer (SQL)

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

JavaScript Maps SDK Kotlin Maps SDK Swift Maps SDK .NET Maps SDK Java Maps SDK Qt Maps SDK Leaflet MapLibre GL JS OpenLayers CesiumJS Python API REST JS REST API

Edit feature data

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

JavaScript Maps SDK Python API REST JS REST API

Display a popup

Format a popup to show attributes in a feature layer.

JavaScript Maps SDK Leaflet MapLibre GL JS 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

Feature service

Add, update, delete, and query feature data.

Vector tile service

Store and access vector tile data.

Map tile service

Store and access map tile data.

Image service

Store and access imagery and raster data.

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.

	Create	Manage	Access
ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript		¹
ArcGIS Maps SDK for Kotlin		¹
ArcGIS Maps SDK for Swift		¹
ArcGIS Maps SDK for Flutter		¹
ArcGIS Maps SDK for Java		¹
ArcGIS Maps SDK for .NET		¹
ArcGIS Maps SDK for Qt		¹
ArcGIS API for Python
ArcGIS REST JS
Leaflet		²
MapLibre GL JS		²	³
OpenLayers		²	³
CesiumJS		²	³

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

ArcGIS Enterprise

Create, manage, analyze, and share data, maps, and applications in your organization.

Portal

Create, manage, and access content and data services for applications.

Map Viewer

Create, explore, and share web maps for 2D applications.

Scene Viewer

Create, style, and explore web scenes.