Add a map tile layer

Learn how to add a map tile layer to a map.

A map tile layer, also known as an image tile layer, displays raster images such as satellite photography or hillshading. You can combine map tile layers to enhance the display of a street basemap layer, position the layer on top of existing layers, or position it under existing layers. When positioned above other layers, you need to give the map tile layer a level of transparency so that users can see through it to the basemap. This combined basemap layer technique is used to enhance overall visualization.

In this tutorial, you add a Hillshade map tile layer, which is a basemap layer composed of jpeg images, on top of a street basemap layer.

Prerequisites

Steps

Create a new pen

1. To get started, either complete the Display a map tutorial or use this pen.

Set the API key

To access location services, you need an API key or OAuth 2.0 access token. To learn how to create and scope your key, visit the Create an API key tutorial.

1. Go to your dashboard to get an API key. The API key must be scoped to access the services used in this tutorial.

2. In CodePen, update apiKey to use your key.

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   const apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";
   const basemapId = "arcgis/streets";
   const basemapURL = `https://basemapstyles-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/styles/v2/styles/${basemapId}?token=${apiKey}`;
   olms.apply(map, basemapURL);
   

Create a tile layer

To load the hillshade tiles, you will create an XYZ source, using an XYZ URL. This is a URL with {x}, {y} and {z} elements which the source substitutes with numbers when requesting each tile. The source can be displayed using a Tile layer with the source property. Set the opacity to 0.3 so that the basemap can be seen through the hillshade layer.

The URL for the hillshade map tile service is:

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https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/Elevation/World_Hillshade/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}

1. Add a load handler to the olms initialization. Inside, create an XYZ source using the XYZ url for the hillshade layer.

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         const basemapId = "arcgis/streets";
   
         const basemapURL = `https://basemapstyles-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/styles/v2/styles/${basemapId}?token=${apiKey}`;
   
         olms.apply(map, basemapURL)
   
           .then(function (map) {
             const hillshadeURL = "https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/Elevation/World_Hillshade/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}";
   
             const hillshadeSource = new ol.source.XYZ({
               url: hillshadeURL
             });
   

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2. Create a Tile layer using the XYZ source, with 0.3 opacity. Add it to the map using map.addLayer.

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           .then(function (map) {
             const hillshadeURL = "https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/Elevation/World_Hillshade/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}";
   
             const hillshadeSource = new ol.source.XYZ({
               url: hillshadeURL
             });
   
             const tileLayer = new ol.layer.Tile({
               source: hillshadeSource,
               opacity: 0.3
             });
   
             map.addLayer(tileLayer);
   

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Run the app

In CodePen, run your code to display the map.

Your map should display a semi-transparent hillshade layer overlaid over a basemap.

What's next?

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