Migrating to Vector Tiles

Links

• Slides
• Leaflet.VectorTiles
• Proof of Concept

Summary

Combining the rendering speed of image tiles with the flexibility of geojson, vector tiles remove the long-standing trade-off between performance and interaction. Despite the advantages to using vector tiles, the variety of tools now available and the lack of a clear migration path can make converting an existing application to using them a daunting task.This presentation will explore how NBT Solutions navigated these challenges and transitioned its Vetro Fibermap product from running on traditional data formats to using vector tiles. Specifically, the presentation will cover the open-source software packages that were selected for serving and rendering vector tiles; and how advanced features, such as editing and dynamic re-symbolization, were implemented. Finally, the presentation will offer lessons learned to others looking to make the switch and share intermediate, performance-boosting steps that can make the journey to vector tiles slightly less treacherous.