OGC API - Tiles
GISBox is a one-stop 3D GIS data editing, conversion and publishing platform that supports editing in multiple GIS formats such as OSGB/GEOTIFF/RVT, converting to 3DTiles/Terrain and publishing.
Introduction
OGC API - Tiles (formerly known as WMTS 2.0) is a new generation of geospatial data distribution API specification developed by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). It is designed to replace the traditional WMTS (Web Map Tile Service) 1.0, adopts a RESTful API architecture, and supports modern Web technologies. The specification provides a standardized method to efficiently provide map tiles, image tiles, and 3D tiles (such as 3D Tiles format) to clients based on HTTP. It is worth mentioning that it has an extensible structure and is widely used in smart cities, urban modeling, geospatial analysis platforms and other fields.
Data Format
OGC API - Tiles supports data tiles in multiple formats:
- Image formats: PNG, JPEG, WebP, etc. (raster maps)
- Vector formats: Mapbox vector tiles (.mvt), GeoJSON tiles
- 3D formats: 3D tiles (b3dm, glb, etc.), point cloud tiles (.pnts)
- Metadata format: JSON (defined in the OpenAPI specification)
These formats can be retrieved directly through parameterized URLs based on HTTP requests.
Pros
- RESTful architecture: The API is simple and easy to use, highly scalable, and can be designed in a unified manner with other OGC APIs (such as maps, maps, etc.).
- JSON-based response: The client is easy to develop and easy to integrate with web and mobile applications.
- HTTP cache optimization: High-speed data transmission can be achieved through CDN or browser cache.
- Scalability: It is easy to design support for new formats in the future, and access control and authentication can be added.
- Clear semantics: Search, filters, zoom levels, etc. are clearly defined, which is very suitable for large-scale services.
Cons
- Limited client compatibility: Currently, only a few GIS software and libraries support OGC API - Tiles, and there are compatibility issues with older WMTS-compatible systems.
- Implementation complexity: Although it is more flexible than traditional WMTS, the server-side implementation may be slightly complex.
- A certain degree of flexibility is required to handle high-load scenarios: If the caching strategy and scalability design for frequent access are not reasonable, performance will be affected.
Application Scenario
OGC API - Tiles is widely used in various scenarios and is the basis for providing the latest geospatial web services. For example, it can be used for 3D visualization of urban development, web maps of tourist destinations, real-time information provision when disasters occur, public transportation route display, and soil and vegetation maps for smart agriculture. In addition, by combining with web visualization libraries such as CesiumJS, MapLibre, and OpenLayers, interactive WebGIS applications can be built.
Example
- Tile matrix set.
- The client application displays or processes the data.
