Map Tile
A map tile is a pre-rendered image segment of a map at a specific zoom level, typically 256x256 or 512x512 pixels. Map tiles enable efficient web map delivery by breaking large maps into small, cacheable pieces that load on demand as users pan and zoom.
Overview Map tiles are the fundamental building blocks of modern web mapping, dividing the mapped world into a grid of small image segments at each zoom levelZoom LevelA zoom level is a discrete scale step in a web mapping tile system that determines the amount of geographic detail di.... Instead of rendering an entire map as a single large image, tile-based systems generate and serve only the specific tiles visible in the user's viewport, dramatically reducing bandwidth requirements and improving rendering performance for interactive map applications.
Tile Structure
In the most common tiling scheme (Slippy Map / TMS), the world is projected using Web Mercator (EPSG:3857) and divided into square tiles. At zoom levelZoom LevelA zoom level is a discrete scale step in a web mapping tile system that determines the amount of geographic detail di... 0, the entire world fits in a single 256x256 pixel tile. Each subsequent zoom level divides each tile into four sub-tiles, so zoom level 1 has 4 tiles, zoom level 2 has 16, and zoom level z has 4^z tiles. Tiles are addressed by their zoom level, column (x), and row (y) coordinates, typically following the URL pattern /{z}/{x}/{y}.png. High-DPI displays may use 512x512 pixel tiles for crisp rendering.
Types of Map Tiles
Raster tiles are pre-rendered PNG or JPEG images containing the complete visual representation of map features. Vector tiles (MVT, MapboxMapboxMapbox is a robust platform that equips developers with tools to create highly customizable, interactive maps for web... Vector Tiles) deliver actual geometry and attribute data in a compact binary format, enabling client-side rendering, dynamic styling, and feature interaction. Terrain tiles deliver elevation data for 3D visualization. Each type offers different trade-offs between server-side rendering cost, bandwidth, and client-side flexibility.
Applications
Virtually all modern web mapping platforms use tile-based architectures. Base maps from providers like OpenStreetMapOpenStreetMapOpenStreetMap (OSM) is a collaborative, open-source mapping project that creates a free, editable map of the world. B..., MapboxMapboxMapbox is a robust platform that equips developers with tools to create highly customizable, interactive maps for web..., Google Maps, and Esri are delivered as tiles. Satellite and aerial imageryAerial ImageryAerial imagery involves photographs taken from planes or drones, offering detailed views of Earth's surface. It is a ... viewers serve orthoimageOrthoimageAn orthoimage (orthophoto) is an aerial or satellite photograph that has been geometrically corrected to remove disto... tiles. Thematic data overlays, weather radar, and traffic information are commonly distributed as tile layers that overlay base maps.
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