OGC API - Tiles

Overview

OGC API - Tiles provides a clean, JSON-driven alternative to traditional WMTS. GeoServer implements the specification to deliver pre-tiled and on-the-fly tiles with standardized metadata, open formats, and modern client compatibility.

Key benefits over legacy tile services:

• JSON Metadata: Self-describing endpoints with OpenAPI-like discovery
• Vector Tile Support: Native Mapbox Vector Tiles (MVT) delivery
• CRS Flexibility: EPSG:3857, EPSG:4326, and custom Web Mercator variants
• RESTful Design: Predictable paths, standard HTTP status codes, and caching headers

Endpoint Reference

All OGC API - Tiles endpoints are prefixed with /ogcapi/tiles/v1/ by default.

Query Parameters

• format: application/vnd.mapbox-vector-tile, image/png, image/jpeg
• crs: EPSG code (defaults to 3857)
• style: Named style identifier from the layer config

Configuration

1. Enable OGC API - Tiles for a Layer Group

1. Go to Layer Groups → Edit your target group
2. Under OGC API - Tiles Settings, toggle Enable
3. Set Tile Matrix Set (WebMercatorQuad is recommended)
4. Configure Max Zoom (0–22) and Buffer Size (0–256px)
5. Save and apply

2. REST API Configuration

You can also configure tilesets programmatically via GeoServer's REST API:

curl -u admin:geoserver -X POST \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"tileset":{"name":"roads","format":"mvt","maxzoom":16}}' \
  http://localhost:8080/geoserver/ogcapi/tiles/v1/tilesets

Usage Examples

Leaflet + Mapbox Vector Tiles

const tileset = 'roads';
const base = 'http://localhost:8080/geoserver/ogcapi/tiles/v1';

L.vectorGrid.protobuf(
  `${base}/tilesets/${tileset}/tiles/{z}/{x}/{y}.mvt`,
  {
    vectorTileLayerStyles: {
      roads: { color: '#00b4d8', weight: 2, opacity: 0.8 }
    },
    maxZoom: 18
  }
).addTo(map);

Python Requests

import requests

url = "http://localhost:8080/geoserver/ogcapi/tiles/v1/tilesets/roads/tiles/10/512/256"
headers = {"Accept": "application/vnd.mapbox-vector-tile"}

resp = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
if resp.status_code == 200:
    print("Tile fetched successfully (size: {} bytes)".format(len(resp.content)))
else:
    resp.raise_for_status()

OpenAPI / TileJSON Discovery

# TileJSON format
wget http://localhost:8080/geoserver/ogcapi/tiles/v1/tilesets/roads?format=json

# OpenAPI 3.0 spec
wget http://localhost:8080/geoserver/ogcapi/tiles/v1/openapi.json

FAQ & Troubleshooting

Why are my tiles returning 404?

Ensure the layer group has published tiles and the tileset parameter matches the registered name exactly. Check the GeoServer logs for TileMatrixSet mismatches.

How do I enable caching?

GeoServer returns standard Cache-Control headers. For production, place a reverse proxy (Nginx, Cloudflare, or AWS CloudFront) in front of GeoServer and configure tile-specific cache rules.

Can I use custom styles with MVT?

Yes. OGC API - Tiles delivers raw geometry. Styling is applied client-side (Mapbox GL, Deck.gl, or Leaflet.VectorGrid). For server-side raster styling, use format=image/png with a named SLD style.

What about authentication?

Standard GeoServer security applies. Use HTTP Basic, JWT, or OAuth2. Note that public tiles bypass auth if the layer group is set to Public.