Web Map

A web map is a digital map served over the internet and rendered in a web browser, providing interactive capabilities that static maps cannot offer. Users can pan across regions, zoom to different scales, switch between base layers and thematic overlays, and click features to retrieve attribute information—all without installing specialized software. Web maps rely on a client-server architecture. The server stores and processes spatial data, often delivering it as vector tiles, raster tiles, or feature services. The client—typically a JavaScript application running in the browser—renders the data and handles user interactions. Popular client-side libraries include LeafletLeafletLeaflet is a lightweight, mobile-friendly JavaScript library for building interactive mapping applications. Known for..., MapboxMapboxMapbox is a robust platform that equips developers with tools to create highly customizable, interactive maps for web... GL JS, OpenLayersOpenLayersOpenLayers is a mature, open-source JavaScript library for building interactive web maps that support a wide range of..., and the ArcGISArcGISArcGIS is a leading GIS platform offering tools for spatial analysis, mapping, and data visualization. It serves a wi... Maps SDK for JavaScript, while server-side components may include GeoServerGeoServerGeoServer is an open-source server for sharing geospatial data, implementing OGC standards like WMS, WFS, and WCS to ..., MapServer, or cloud-hosted tile services. Web maps underpin a vast range of applications including real-estate search platforms, logistics tracking dashboards, public health surveillance tools, and citizen science portals. Key considerations in web map design include performance optimization through tile caching and level-of-detail management, responsive layouts for mobile devices, accessibility compliance, and clear cartographic styling. The OGC Web Map Service (WMS) and Web Map TileMap TileA map tile is a pre-rendered image segment of a map at a specific zoom level, typically 256x256 or 512x512 pixels. Ma... Service (WMTS) standards ensure interoperability between different servers and clients.