Vector Tile

Vector tiles are a modern approach to serving geographic data on the web. Instead of pre-rendering images on the server, vector tiles transmit the underlying geometry and attributes in compact binary packages—most commonly using the MapboxMapboxMapbox is a robust platform that equips developers with tools to create highly customizable, interactive maps for web... Vector Tile (MVT) specification based on Protocol Buffers. The client-side application then renders these tiles using GPU-accelerated graphics, allowing dynamic styling, smooth zooming, and feature-level interactivity. Because the raw geometry is available in the browser, vector tiles support rich interactions such as hover highlights, click-to-query, and real-time style changes without round-tripping to the server. Labels and icons can be rendered with collision detection at the client level, adapting to the user’s viewport. This makes vector tiles significantly more flexible than raster tiles, which are static images that cannot be restyled after delivery. Vector tiles are generated from source datasets using tools like TippecanoeTippecanoeTippecanoe is an open-source command-line tool for creating vector tilesets from GeoJSON features. Developed by Mapbo..., Martin, or pg_tileserv, and stored in formats such as MBTilesMBTilesMBTiles is an open specification for storing tiled map data in a single SQLite database file. It provides a portable,... or PMTilesPMTilesPMTiles is a single-file archive format for tiled map data that supports HTTP range requests, eliminating the need fo... for efficient access. Major platforms including Mapbox, MapLibre, Google Maps, and Esri all support vector tile rendering. The OGC has also adopted a Vector Tiles standard, promoting interoperability across the geospatial ecosystem.