Style vector tiles

Learn how to perform data-driven styling to customize the appearance of vector tiles based on their underlying feature data.

You can use MapLibre GL JS to display vector tile data using custom styles. The MapLibre style specification allows you to customize the fill, outline, opacity and other properties of vector tiles to display data effectively. If your vector tiles are published from a feature service, you can also perform data-driven visualizations based on attributes of the original feature service.

In this tutorial, you style land parcels from a public vector tile service according to their use type.

Prerequisites

Steps

Review the source data

This tutorial uses the Santa Monica Mountains Parcels vector tile service. This vector tile service was created by publishing a feature service as vector tiles using the portal. It contains the attributes of the original feature service, which can be accessed to style layers in your application. Find the original feature service in ArcGIS.com to view the names and values of different attributes.

1. Go to the item page for the Santa Monica Mountains Parcels vector tile layer.

2. Under Details, find the Created from property. Follow the link to view the item page for the original feature layer, Santa_Monica_Mountains_Parcels.

3. Click the Data tab to view the layer's features and attributes. Each feature represents a land parcel and has attributes such as an address, use code, and number of square feet.

4. Review the values of the UseType field. You will use this field to style vector tiles in your application.

Create a new pen

1. To get started, you can complete the Display a map tutorial or use the Display a map tutorial solution (CodePen).

Get an access token

You need an access token with the correct privileges to access the resources used in this tutorial.

1. Go to the Create an API key tutorial and create an API key with the following privilege(s):
   

   • Privileges
     • Location services > Basemaps
   • Item access
     • Note: If you are using your own custom data layer for this tutorial, you need to grant the API key credentials access to the layer item. Learn more in Item access privileges.

2. Copy the API key access token to your clipboard when prompted.

3. In CodePen, update the accessToken variable to use your access token.

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   const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";
   const basemapEnum = "arcgis/outdoor";
   const map = new maplibregl.Map({
     container: "map", // the id of the div element
     style: `https://basemapstyles-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/styles/v2/styles/${basemapEnum}?token=${accessToken}`,
     zoom: 12, // starting zoom
     center: [-118.805, 34.027] // starting location [longitude, latitude]
   });
   

4. Run the code to ensure the basemap is displayed in the map.

To learn about the other types of authentication available, go to Types of authentication.

Add a vector tile source

Use a source of type vector to reference the Santa Monica Mountains Parcels vector tile service in your application.

1. Add an event handler to the map load event.

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     <script>
       const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";
       const basemapEnum = "arcgis/human-geography";
       const map = new maplibregl.Map({
         container: "map", // the id of the div element
         style: `https://basemapstyles-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/styles/v2/styles/${basemapEnum}?token=${accessToken}`,
         zoom: 13, // starting zoom
         center: [-118.4877, 34.0227] // starting location [longitude, latitude]
       });
   
       map.once("load", () => {
   
       });
   
         // Add Esri attribution
         // Learn more in https://esriurl.com/attribution
         map._controls[0].options.customAttribution += " | Powered by Esri "
         map._controls[0]._updateAttributions()
   
     </script>
   

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2. Inside the load event handler, add a vector tile source with id parcels. The source tells MapLibre GL JS how to access the data for the layer, but does not visually add it to the map.

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       map.once("load", () => {
   
         map.addSource("parcels", {
           type: "vector",
           tiles: [
             "https://vectortileservices3.arcgis.com/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/Santa_Monica_Mountains_Parcels_VTL/VectorTileServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}.pbf"
           ],
   
         });
   
         map.moveLayer('parcels-outline');
   
       });
   

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3. Add the data attribution for the vector tile layer source.

   • Go to the LA County Parcels item.
   • Scroll down to the Credits (Attribution) section and copy its value.
   • Create an attribution property and paste the attribution value from the item.
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         map.once("load", () => {
     
           map.addSource("parcels", {
             type: "vector",
             tiles: [
               "https://vectortileservices3.arcgis.com/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/Santa_Monica_Mountains_Parcels_VTL/VectorTileServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}.pbf"
             ],
     
             // Attribution text retrieved from https://arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=f0298e881b5b4743bbdf2c7d378acc84
             attribution: 'County of Los Angeles Office of the Assessor'
     
           });
     
           map.moveLayer('parcels-outline');
     
         });
     

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Style parcels by use type

Use a layer of type fill to style land parcels according to their UseType category.

1. Add a fill layer that references the parcels source you created. Set source-layer to Santa_Monica_Mountains_Parcels to reference the original feature service.

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       map.once("load", () => {
   
         map.addSource("parcels", {
           type: "vector",
           tiles: [
             "https://vectortileservices3.arcgis.com/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/Santa_Monica_Mountains_Parcels_VTL/VectorTileServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}.pbf"
           ],
   
           // Attribution text retrieved from https://arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=f0298e881b5b4743bbdf2c7d378acc84
           attribution: 'County of Los Angeles Office of the Assessor'
   
         });
   
         map.addLayer({
           id: "parcels-fill",
           type: "fill",
           source: "parcels",
           "source-layer": "Santa_Monica_Mountains_Parcels",
   
         });
   
       });
   

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2. Add a custom fill-color to the layer. Use get to retrieve UseType attribute values, viewed in the previous step. Use case to create a conditional expression that assigns a unique color to each use type.

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         map.addLayer({
           id: "parcels-fill",
           type: "fill",
           source: "parcels",
           "source-layer": "Santa_Monica_Mountains_Parcels",
   
           paint: {
               "fill-color": ['case',
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Residential'], '#E8E191', // Yellow
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Commercial'], '#E580A2', // Red
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Government'], '#79E284', // Green
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Industrial'], '#C080E5', // Purple
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Institutional'], '#80BBE5', // Blue
                   '#bfbfbf'
               ]
           }
   
         });
   

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Add an outline layer

The MapLibre style specification has limited options for customizing polygon outlines. Add a second vector tile layer to customize the parcel outlines.

1. Add a line layer that also references the parcels source. Style the color, width, and opacity of the parcel outlines.

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           paint: {
               "fill-color": ['case',
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Residential'], '#E8E191', // Yellow
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Commercial'], '#E580A2', // Red
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Government'], '#79E284', // Green
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Industrial'], '#C080E5', // Purple
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Institutional'], '#80BBE5', // Blue
                   '#bfbfbf'
               ]
           }
   
         });
   
         map.addLayer({
           id: "parcels-outline",
           type: "line",
           source: "parcels",
           "source-layer": "Santa_Monica_Mountains_Parcels",
           paint: {
               'line-color':'#000000',
               'line-width':0.25,
               'line-opacity':0.25
           }
         });
   
   

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2. Use moveLayer to display the outline layer on top of the fill layer.

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           paint: {
               "fill-color": ['case',
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Residential'], '#E8E191', // Yellow
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Commercial'], '#E580A2', // Red
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Government'], '#79E284', // Green
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Industrial'], '#C080E5', // Purple
                   ['==', ['get','UseType'], 'Institutional'], '#80BBE5', // Blue
                   '#bfbfbf'
               ]
           }
   
         });
   
         map.addLayer({
           id: "parcels-outline",
           type: "line",
           source: "parcels",
           "source-layer": "Santa_Monica_Mountains_Parcels",
           paint: {
               'line-color':'#000000',
               'line-width':0.25,
               'line-opacity':0.25
           }
         });
   
         map.moveLayer('parcels-outline');
   

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Run the app

In CodePen, run your code to display the map.

You should see the styled vector tile layer with parcels displayed on the basemap layer. Parcels should be styled in different colors based on their use type, and thin outlines should be present around each parcel.

What's next?

Learn how to use additional ArcGIS location services in these tutorials: