This concepts and terminology page is dedicated to clarifying key terms for developers and bridging the gaps between mapping libraries, so that developers can fully leverage JavaScript Maps SDK and related ArcGIS technologies.
Terminology
Map + Layer
| Google Maps JavaScript API | Equivalent to ArcGIS | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Map | Map (2D) | |
| 3D Map | Scene (3d) | |
| Shapes and lines | Graphics or layers. | Graphics to display geographic data that is not connected to a database (i.e. a GPS location). Lines and polygons in layers for large quantity of geometries or those are connected to databases. |
| Bounds | Extent in 2D Camera in 3D | |
| Overlay | MediaLayer | Displays image and video elements in the map at specified geographic locations |
| Load external data source (GeoJSON, KML, GeoRSS) | GeoJSONLayer, KMLLayer, GeoRSSLayer | JavaScript Maps SDK provides more than 40 layer types for accessing and displaying vector and raster data, ranging from open standards (e.g., OGCFeatureLayer) to point clouds |
Visualization
| Google Maps JavaScript API | Equivalent to ArcGIS | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Marker | Point and symbols | Use Point geometry and symbol. See it in action with the Display a marker and display a popup tutorial. |
| Symbols | Symbols | Explore our comprehensive symbol offerings. It includes simple symbols, pre-designed complex symbols, and a symbol builder for fully custom symbols. |
| Data-driven styling | Data-driven styles | Use renderers and smart mapping to generate diverse styles to tell stories of your data. |
| Cluster markers | Clustering for point layers | Use aggregation techniques, such as clustering and binning for high-density data visualization for points, lines, and polygons. |
Interactivity
| Google Maps JavaScript API | Equivalent to ArcGIS | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Info window | Popup | For viewing content from feature or geometry attributes by showing plain text, HTML, charts, pictures, or custom actions. |
| Map controls | Map components, such as Zoom for 2D and Navigation Toggle for 3D | Many other UI elements for common workflows are delivered as map components, such as Legend and Basemap Toggle for switching between basemap styles |
| Geometry library | Geometry operators | For performing client-side geometric operations on points, multipoints, lines, polygons and extents, including calculating bounding box, identifying intersecting geometries, finding the nearest geometries, topological operations, and more. |
| Render with deck.gl | Visualization offerings @deck.gl/arcgis | ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript provides many dynamic visualization options, such as dot density visualization, clustering, flow rendering, and more, to achieve the same visualization options as deck.gl. Use deck.gl layer with the ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript using @deck.gl/arcgis. |
Location services
| Google Maps JavaScript API | Equivalent to ArcGIS | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| MapType (Basemap style) | basemap styles (e.g., “arcgis/streets”, “arcgis/satellite”) | Learn more about all types of basemap services, styles, and usage models at in the basemap guide. |
| Geocoding | Search comoponent Geocoding service | Use the Search component for geocoding (built-in geocoding service). Click event + geocoding service for reserve geocoding (point on map to address). See it in action in Search and geocode) tutorial and learn more about geocoding with ArcGIS Location Platform |
| Geolocation | Locate component Track component | Locate component animates the Map (2D) or Scene (3D) to the user’s current location Track component continuously animates the Map or Scene to the user’s location as the user moves. |
| Street View | Oriented Imagery Layer with third-party data provider. | Oriented Imagery layers are composed of discrete features (or camera locations), each of which has a Geometry that allows it to be rendered in either a 2D MapView or 3D SceneView as a graphic with spatial context. |
Concepts
Layers
In our migration tutorials, we showed how to use graphics your information. However, if your goal is to build scalable applications with more than 100 objects on the map, using a layer is the way to go.
The JavaScript Maps SDK supports many layer types for you to easily bring your data into applications from anywhere, including those in ArcGIS platform, self-hosted web servers, open data portals, and local machines. Many layer types share the same visualization, interactivity, and analytical capabilities. ArcGIS Location Platform allows you to create, host, and manage your data services.
Among them, feature layer (consuming hosted feature services) is the recommended way for the best performance and interactivity, such as editing. CSVLayer and GeoJSONLayer are also popular choices.
Helpful links:
- Data services – Portal and data services guide.
- Introduction to feature services – Portal and data services.guide
- Create a feature layer – Portal and data services guide.
Map, web map, and map component
In ArcGIS, a map is a collection of layers that are displayed in 2D. A map can be stored as a web map. Web maps are typically created and styled interactively with the Map Viewer. A web map can be created, shared, and stored in ArcGIS as an item with a unique item ID.
The map component is used to add 2D maps to web applications. It serves as a frame to display your maps for web applications.
In general, we recommend you to interactively create web maps with Map Viewer for your desired styles and configurations, then use map component to add your web map into your application, as in one line:
<arcgis-map item-id="237b9584339446a0b56317b5962a4971"></arcgis-map>Alternatively, you can also add your layers and data directly into map components in your application.
Helpful links:
- Use maps (2D) with the JavaScript Maps SDK: Introduction to maps (2D)
- Overview of maps and web maps in ArcGIS for developers:
2D and 3D
Map is specifically for 2D maps and data. A scene is the 3D equivalent of map, it displays a collection of 3D layers, including basemap, elevation information, building layers, and even BIM and indoor data.
For 3D applications, web scenes can be created to save configurations with Scene Viewer, then brought into applications with scene component.
<arcgis-scene item-id="3a9976baef9240ab8645ee25c7e9c096"></arcgis-scene>Helpful links:
- Scenes (3D) – Mapping and location services guide.
- Web scenes – Mapping and location services guide.
- Introduction to scenes (3D) – JavaScript Maps SDK.
- Scene component – JavaScript Maps SDK.
Query and filter
The JavaScript Maps SDK supports querying and filtering spatial information on server side and client side. Querying and filtering can be performed on layers by attribute and geometry, and we support easy statistic summarization after querying. For maximized performance, utilize client-side querying and filtering to achieve instantaneous results.
Helpful links:
- Introduction to query and filter - JavaScript Maps SDK.