XYZ (Tile Service)¶
A simple URL template that returns a tile per {z}/{x}/{y} coordinate.
Used for raster basemaps and pre-rendered overlays.
When to use¶
- Raster basemaps from providers like Mapbox, Stadia, OpenStreetMap, or your own tile cache.
- Static raster overlays that are already pre-rendered to a
{z}/{x}/{y}pyramid.
Add an XYZ source¶
Layer Card → Datasets → Add Dataset → Direct Connection → set Data Format to XYZ (Tile Service).
| Field | What to fill in |
|---|---|
| Data Source URL | A URL template containing {z}, {x}, {y}. Example: https://tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png. |
| Z-Index | Default 50. Lower this to send the layer to the back when adding it as a basemap. |
There is no service-backed flow for XYZ — it's always a direct URL.
As a base layer¶
For map basemaps you usually want Add Layer → Base Layer instead of a full layer card. The base layer form is a slim variant of the data source form: just title, URL, and optional attribution. See Base layers.
Validation¶
- The healthcheck fetches a sample tile (typically
0/0/0) and confirms it returns 200 with an image content type. - Subdomain templates like
{s}.example.comare not auto-rotated by the builder; supply a single concrete subdomain in the URL.
Tips¶
- Always include a tile-server attribution string — many providers require it. Add it via the layer card's Description & Attribution section.
- If the deployed Explorer renders blank tiles only at high zoom, the layer's max-zoom probably exceeds the provider's. Limit zoom in the layer's Constraints if needed.