Learn how to use an ArcGIS portal item to access and display a feature layer A feature layer (client-side) is a data layer that can access and display features from a feature service that has the same type of geometry and attribute fields. Learn more in a map A map is a collection of layers that are displayed in 2D. It is typically composed of a basemap layer and data layers. Learn more .

add a feature layer from a portal item

You can host a variety of geographic data and other resources using ArcGIS Online ArcGIS Online is a GIS mapping, analytics, data hosting, and content management software as a service (SaaS) product. It includes applications, tools, APIs, and location services for users and developers. It is subscription-based and requires an ArcGIS Online account. Learn more . These portal items An item, also known as a content item, is a resource stored in a portal such as a web map, hosted layer, style, script tool, file, or notebook. Learn more can also define how the data is presented. A web map A web map is a map stored as a JSON object that defines properties such as the basemap layer, data layers, layer styles, and pop-up styles. Its JSON structure is defined by the web map specification. Learn more or web scene A web scene is a scene stored as a JSON object that defines properties such as the basemap layer, data layers, layer styles, and pop-up styles. Its JSON structure is defined by the web scene specification. Learn more , for example, not only defines the layers for a map A map is a collection of layers that are displayed in 2D. It is typically composed of a basemap layer and data layers. Learn more or scene A scene is a collection of layers that are displayed in 3D. It is typically composed of a basemap layer, data layers, and 3D data. Learn more , but also how layers are symbolized, the minimum and/or maximum scales at which they display, and several other properties. Likewise, a hosted feature layer contains the data for the layer and also defines the symbols and other display properties for how it is presented. When you add a map, scene, or layer from a portal item to your app, everything that has been saved with the item An item, also known as a content item, is a resource stored in a portal such as a web map, hosted layer, style, script tool, file, or notebook. Learn more is applied in your app. Adding portal items to your app rather than creating them programmatically saves you from writing a lot of code, and can provide consistency across apps that use the same data.

In this tutorial, you will add a hosted feature layer to display trailheads in the Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California. The hosted layer defines the trailhead locations (points) as well as the symbols used to display them.

Prerequisites

Before starting this tutorial, you need the following:

  1. An ArcGIS Location Platform or ArcGIS Online account.

  2. A development and deployment environment that meets the system requirements.

  3. An IDE for Android development in Kotlin.

Develop or download

You have two options for completing this tutorial:

  1. Option 1: Develop the code or
  2. Option 2: Download the completed solution

Option 1: Develop the code

Open an Android Studio project with Gradle

  1. Open the project you created by completing the Display a map tutorial.

  2. Continue with the following instructions to use an ArcGIS portal item to access and display a feature layer in a map.

  3. Modify the old project for use in this new tutorial.

Add import statements

In the Android view, open app > kotlin+java > com.example.app > MainScreen.kt. Replace the import statements with the imports needed for this tutorial.

MainScreen.kt
@file:OptIn(ExperimentalMaterial3Api::class)
package com.example.app.screens
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding
import androidx.compose.material3.ExperimentalMaterial3Api
import androidx.compose.material3.Scaffold
import androidx.compose.material3.Text
import androidx.compose.material3.TopAppBar
import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
import androidx.compose.ui.res.stringResource
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.ArcGISMap
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.BasemapStyle
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.PortalItem
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.Viewpoint
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.layers.FeatureLayer
import com.arcgismaps.portal.Portal
import com.arcgismaps.toolkit.geoviewcompose.MapView
import com.example.app.R

Add a feature layer to the map

You can reference an item An item, also known as a content item, is a resource stored in a portal such as a web map, hosted layer, style, script tool, file, or notebook. Learn more (such as a web map or feature layer) hosted in a portal (such as ArcGIS Online) using its unique item ID An item ID is a unique identifier representing a single item stored, managed, and accessed in a portal, such as a web map, hosted layer, or file. Learn more . You will reference the Trailheads Styled feature layer stored in ArcGIS Online using its item ID: 2e4b3df6ba4b44969a3bc9827de746b3. You will then add that feature layer to your map’s collection of data layers (operational layers).

  1. In MainScreen, before the code that creates the ArcGISMap, create a new Portal referencing ArcGIS Online as the url parameter and Portal.Connection.Anonymous for the connection parameter.

    MainScreen.kt
    38 collapsed lines
    @file:OptIn(ExperimentalMaterial3Api::class)
    package com.example.app.screens
    import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
    import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding
    import androidx.compose.material3.ExperimentalMaterial3Api
    import androidx.compose.material3.Scaffold
    import androidx.compose.material3.Text
    import androidx.compose.material3.TopAppBar
    import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
    import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
    import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
    import androidx.compose.ui.res.stringResource
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.ArcGISMap
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.BasemapStyle
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.PortalItem
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.Viewpoint
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.layers.FeatureLayer
    import com.arcgismaps.portal.Portal
    import com.arcgismaps.toolkit.geoviewcompose.MapView
    import com.example.app.R
    @Composable
    fun MainScreen() {
    val map = remember { createMap() }
    Scaffold(
    topBar = { TopAppBar(title = { Text(text = stringResource(id = R.string.app_name)) }) }
    ) {
    MapView(
    modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(it),
    arcGISMap = map
    )
    }
    }
    fun createMap(): ArcGISMap {
    val portal = Portal(
    url = "https://www.arcgis.com",
    connection = Portal.Connection.Anonymous
    )
    return ArcGISMap(BasemapStyle.ArcGISTopographic).apply{
    initialViewpoint = Viewpoint(
    latitude = 34.0270,
    longitude = -118.8050,
    scale = 72000.0
    )
    }
    }
  2. Then, create a PortalItem instance, passing portal and the id of the portal item that the feature layer will use.

    MainScreen.kt
    38 collapsed lines
    @file:OptIn(ExperimentalMaterial3Api::class)
    package com.example.app.screens
    import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
    import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding
    import androidx.compose.material3.ExperimentalMaterial3Api
    import androidx.compose.material3.Scaffold
    import androidx.compose.material3.Text
    import androidx.compose.material3.TopAppBar
    import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
    import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
    import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
    import androidx.compose.ui.res.stringResource
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.ArcGISMap
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.BasemapStyle
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.PortalItem
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.Viewpoint
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.layers.FeatureLayer
    import com.arcgismaps.portal.Portal
    import com.arcgismaps.toolkit.geoviewcompose.MapView
    import com.example.app.R
    @Composable
    fun MainScreen() {
    val map = remember { createMap() }
    Scaffold(
    topBar = { TopAppBar(title = { Text(text = stringResource(id = R.string.app_name)) }) }
    ) {
    MapView(
    modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(it),
    arcGISMap = map
    )
    }
    }
    fun createMap(): ArcGISMap {
    val portal = Portal(
    url = "https://www.arcgis.com",
    connection = Portal.Connection.Anonymous
    )
    val portalItem = PortalItem(
    portal = portal,
    itemId = "2e4b3df6ba4b44969a3bc9827de746b3"
    )
    return ArcGISMap(BasemapStyle.ArcGISTopographic).apply{
    initialViewpoint = Viewpoint(
    latitude = 34.0270,
    longitude = -118.8050,
    scale = 72000.0
    )
    }
    }
  3. Next, create a FeatureLayer using FeatureLayer.createWithItem(), to which you pass the portal item.

    MainScreen.kt
    38 collapsed lines
    @file:OptIn(ExperimentalMaterial3Api::class)
    package com.example.app.screens
    import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
    import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding
    import androidx.compose.material3.ExperimentalMaterial3Api
    import androidx.compose.material3.Scaffold
    import androidx.compose.material3.Text
    import androidx.compose.material3.TopAppBar
    import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
    import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
    import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
    import androidx.compose.ui.res.stringResource
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.ArcGISMap
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.BasemapStyle
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.PortalItem
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.Viewpoint
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.layers.FeatureLayer
    import com.arcgismaps.portal.Portal
    import com.arcgismaps.toolkit.geoviewcompose.MapView
    import com.example.app.R
    @Composable
    fun MainScreen() {
    val map = remember { createMap() }
    Scaffold(
    topBar = { TopAppBar(title = { Text(text = stringResource(id = R.string.app_name)) }) }
    ) {
    MapView(
    modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(it),
    arcGISMap = map
    )
    }
    }
    fun createMap(): ArcGISMap {
    val portal = Portal(
    url = "https://www.arcgis.com",
    connection = Portal.Connection.Anonymous
    )
    val portalItem = PortalItem(
    portal = portal,
    itemId = "2e4b3df6ba4b44969a3bc9827de746b3"
    )
    val featureLayer = FeatureLayer.createWithItem(portalItem)
    return ArcGISMap(BasemapStyle.ArcGISTopographic).apply{
    initialViewpoint = Viewpoint(
    latitude = 34.0270,
    longitude = -118.8050,
    scale = 72000.0
    )
    }
    }
  4. In the apply block for ArcGISMap, add the feature layer to the map.

    MainScreen.kt
    38 collapsed lines
    @file:OptIn(ExperimentalMaterial3Api::class)
    package com.example.app.screens
    import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
    import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding
    import androidx.compose.material3.ExperimentalMaterial3Api
    import androidx.compose.material3.Scaffold
    import androidx.compose.material3.Text
    import androidx.compose.material3.TopAppBar
    import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
    import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
    import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
    import androidx.compose.ui.res.stringResource
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.ArcGISMap
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.BasemapStyle
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.PortalItem
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.Viewpoint
    import com.arcgismaps.mapping.layers.FeatureLayer
    import com.arcgismaps.portal.Portal
    import com.arcgismaps.toolkit.geoviewcompose.MapView
    import com.example.app.R
    @Composable
    fun MainScreen() {
    val map = remember { createMap() }
    Scaffold(
    topBar = { TopAppBar(title = { Text(text = stringResource(id = R.string.app_name)) }) }
    ) {
    MapView(
    modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(it),
    arcGISMap = map
    )
    }
    }
    fun createMap(): ArcGISMap {
    val portal = Portal(
    url = "https://www.arcgis.com",
    connection = Portal.Connection.Anonymous
    )
    val portalItem = PortalItem(
    portal = portal,
    itemId = "2e4b3df6ba4b44969a3bc9827de746b3"
    )
    val featureLayer = FeatureLayer.createWithItem(portalItem)
    return ArcGISMap(BasemapStyle.ArcGISTopographic).apply{
    initialViewpoint = Viewpoint(
    latitude = 34.0270,
    longitude = -118.8050,
    scale = 72000.0
    )
    operationalLayers.add(featureLayer)
    }
    }
  5. Click Run > Run > app to run the app.

You should see a map of trail heads in the Santa Monica mountains. Double tap, Drag, pinch in, and pinch out on the map view to explore the map.

Alternatively, you can download the tutorial solution, as follows.

Option 2: Download the solution

  1. Click the Download solution link in the right-hand side of this page.

  2. Unzip the file to a location on your machine.

  3. Run Android Studio.

  4. Go to File > Open…. Navigate to the solution folder and click Open.

    On Windows: If you are in the Welcome to Android Studio dialog, click Open and navigate to the solution folder. Then click Open.

Since the downloaded solution does not contain authentication credentials, you must first set up authentication to create credentials, and then add the developer credentials to the solution.

Set up authentication

To access the secure ArcGIS location services ArcGIS Location Services, also referred to as Location Services, are services hosted by Esri that provide geospatial functionality for developing mapping applications. They include the ArcGIS Basemap Styles service, ArcGIS Static Basemap Tiles service, ArcGIS Places service, ArcGIS Geocoding service, ArcGIS Routing service, ArcGIS GeoEnrichment service, and ArcGIS Elevation service. An ArcGIS Location Platform or ArcGIS Online account is required to use the services. Learn more used in this tutorial, you must implement API key authentication API key authentication is a type of authentication that uses an API key to authenticate requests to ArcGIS services and secure portal items. Learn more or user authentication User authentication is a type of authentication that allows users with an ArcGIS account to sign into an application and allow it to access ArcGIS content, services, and resources on their behalf. The typical authorization protocol used is OAuth2.0. Learn more using an ArcGIS Location Platform An ArcGIS Location Platform account, formerly known as an ArcGIS Developer account, is an identity associated with an ArcGIS Location Platform subscription. Learn more or an ArcGIS Online An ArcGIS Online account, also known as an ArcGIS Organization account, is an identity associated with an ArcGIS Online subscription. It can be used to access ArcGIS tools and develop applications with ArcGIS location services for an organization. Learn more account.

To complete this tutorial, click on the tab in the switcher below for your authentication type of choice, either API key authentication or User authentication.

Create a new API key access token An access token is an authorization string that provides access to secure ArcGIS content, data, and services. Its capabilities are determined by the privileges it supports. It is obtained by implementing API key authentication, User authentication, or App authentication. Learn more with privileges Privileges are a set of permissions assigned to ArcGIS accounts, developer credentials, and applications that grant access to secure resources and functionality in ArcGIS. Learn more to access the secure resources used in this tutorial.

  1. Complete the Create an API key tutorial and create an API key with the following privilege(s) Privileges are a set of permissions assigned to ArcGIS accounts, developer credentials, and applications that grant access to secure resources and functionality in ArcGIS. Learn more :

    • Privileges
      • Location services > Basemaps
  2. Copy and paste the API key access token into a safe location. It will be used in a later step.

Set developer credentials in the solution

To allow your app users to access ArcGIS location services ArcGIS Location Services, also referred to as Location Services, are services hosted by Esri that provide geospatial functionality for developing mapping applications. They include the ArcGIS Basemap Styles service, ArcGIS Static Basemap Tiles service, ArcGIS Places service, ArcGIS Geocoding service, ArcGIS Routing service, ArcGIS GeoEnrichment service, and ArcGIS Elevation service. An ArcGIS Location Platform or ArcGIS Online account is required to use the services. Learn more , use the developer credentials that you created in the Set up authentication step to authenticate requests for resources.

  1. In the Android view of Android Studio, open app > kotlin+java > com.example.app > MainActivity. Set the AuthenticationMode to .API_KEY.

    MainActivity.kt
    14 collapsed lines
    package com.example.app
    import android.os.Bundle
    import androidx.activity.ComponentActivity
    import androidx.activity.compose.setContent
    import androidx.activity.enableEdgeToEdge
    import com.arcgismaps.ApiKey
    import com.arcgismaps.ArcGISEnvironment
    import com.arcgismaps.httpcore.authentication.OAuthUserConfiguration
    import com.arcgismaps.toolkit.authentication.AuthenticatorState
    import com.arcgismaps.toolkit.authentication.DialogAuthenticator
    import com.example.app.screens.MainScreen
    import com.example.app.ui.theme.TutorialTheme
    class MainActivity : ComponentActivity() {
    private enum class AuthenticationMode { API_KEY, USER_AUTH }
    private val authenticationMode = AuthenticationMode.API_KEY
    42 collapsed lines
    private val authenticatorState = AuthenticatorState()
    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
    when (authenticationMode) {
    AuthenticationMode.API_KEY -> {
    ArcGISEnvironment.apiKey = ApiKey.create("YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN")
    }
    AuthenticationMode.USER_AUTH -> {
    authenticatorState.oAuthUserConfigurations = listOf(
    OAuthUserConfiguration(
    portalUrl = "https://www.arcgis.com",
    clientId = "YOUR_CLIENT_ID",
    redirectUrl = "YOUR_REDIRECT_URL"
    )
    )
    }
    }
    enableEdgeToEdge()
    setContent {
    TutorialTheme {
    MainScreen()
    if (authenticationMode == AuthenticationMode.USER_AUTH) {
    DialogAuthenticator(authenticatorState)
    }
    }
    }
    }
    }
  2. Set the apiKey property with your API key access token.

    MainActivity.kt
    22 collapsed lines
    package com.example.app
    import android.os.Bundle
    import androidx.activity.ComponentActivity
    import androidx.activity.compose.setContent
    import androidx.activity.enableEdgeToEdge
    import com.arcgismaps.ApiKey
    import com.arcgismaps.ArcGISEnvironment
    import com.arcgismaps.httpcore.authentication.OAuthUserConfiguration
    import com.arcgismaps.toolkit.authentication.AuthenticatorState
    import com.arcgismaps.toolkit.authentication.DialogAuthenticator
    import com.example.app.screens.MainScreen
    import com.example.app.ui.theme.TutorialTheme
    class MainActivity : ComponentActivity() {
    private enum class AuthenticationMode { API_KEY, USER_AUTH }
    private val authenticationMode = AuthenticationMode.API_KEY
    private val authenticatorState = AuthenticatorState()
    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
    when (authenticationMode) {
    AuthenticationMode.API_KEY -> {
    ArcGISEnvironment.apiKey = ApiKey.create("YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN")
    }
    30 collapsed lines
    AuthenticationMode.USER_AUTH -> {
    authenticatorState.oAuthUserConfigurations = listOf(
    OAuthUserConfiguration(
    portalUrl = "https://www.arcgis.com",
    clientId = "YOUR_CLIENT_ID",
    redirectUrl = "YOUR_REDIRECT_URL"
    )
    )
    }
    }
    enableEdgeToEdge()
    setContent {
    TutorialTheme {
    MainScreen()
    if (authenticationMode == AuthenticationMode.USER_AUTH) {
    DialogAuthenticator(authenticatorState)
    }
    }
    }
    }
    }

Best Practice: The access token is stored directly in the code as a convenience for this tutorial. Do not store credentials directly in source code in a production environment.

Run the app

Click Run > Run > app to run the app.

You should see a map of trail heads in the Santa Monica mountains. Double tap, Drag, pinch in, and pinch out on the map view to explore the map.

What’s next?

Learn how to use additional API features, ArcGIS location services, and ArcGIS tools in these tutorials: