How to work with map styles in MapTiler Server

Map Style is a style.JSON document that defines the visual appearance of a map. Style includes information about data sources, such as OpenMapTiles or MapTiler Planet, and the specific styling of the selected layers. All this information can be modified based on the needed purpose of the map.

The data on the left is a raw OpenMapTiles dataset (Dallas). On the right is the same are with the Streets map style applied.

We prepared ready-to-use map styles that cover most of the use cases and fit perfectly with the MapTiler Data. Alternatively, you can download a third-party map style and adjust it or create your own from scratch.

MapTiler Data Map Styles Package

MapTiler Data Map Styles Package is a bundle of ready-to-use Map Styles, Datasets, and Fonts that can be used to test MapTiler Server for free. It is a test package! The data included is optimized for Zurich Region only. Subscribe to a MapTiler Data Basic plan if you want to use worldwide data.

Where can you download Map Styles Package

In order to download the Map Styles Package you need to navigate to the MapTiler Data page and tap on the download (you can also download it directly from the MapTiler Server).

Once you have the Map Styles Package on your PC, drag and drop it into the MapTiler Server interface. 

Read more details about our recent MapTiler Data Package 3.14.

Preview the sample data with Map Styles

Once you load your map styles zip file into the software, you will be able to preview the content of the sample data. In the Tiles tab, you can preview the raw osm dataset of the Zurich area. In Maps, you can preview that particular dataset, together with beautiful map styles on top of it.

The Map Styles package contains Basic, Dataviz, Outdoor, Satellite Hybrid, and Streets styles.

(**Zurich with bright map style)

Bear in mind that you will be able to fully zoom (zoom level 0 to 14 and 18+ over zoom) only to the Zurich area, as this is the default dataset we included in the sample package. The exception here is Satellite-Hybrid Map Style where the zoom levels for the whole planet are 0 to 6, with over zoom available.

Preview other data with the map styles

If you haven’t added your data to MapTiler Server yet, you can do it, by navigating to the Tiles tab in MapTiler Server and selecting “NEW TILES”. Now drag and drop the MBtiles or Geopackage file into the software. Read more here: How to add and host data in MapTiler Server

If you need guidance on how to download other free data we offer, read this article:
How to try MapTiler Server using free MapTiler Data

Map Styles by default are attached to the Zurich dataset that is part of MapTiler sample data. If you want to connect your style.json to other datasets you can do it by using one of the following methods:

Change the name of Zurich Dataset to any different name [e.g zurich-osm] or delete it.)
Rename the downloaded file to “maptiler-osm”. You can do it by hitting on the “DETAIL” button of the downloaded dataset in the Tiles tab and then pressing “CHANGE ID”.
The path to finding the map styles is at the top of the “MAPS” tab in MapTiler Server).
Edit your favorite map style (e.g. maps → streets → style.json) and at the very bottom of the file, replace the URL of the source with the filename of the data you downloaded
(e.g replace "url": "#maptiler-osm" with  "url": "#osm-2020-07-03-v3.6.1_europe_germany.mbtiles" if you want this map style to serve the OSM dataset of Germany)

You can now preview the dataset with your favorite map style.

You might not be able to see the full value of the Map Style design as it consists of various datasets and the ones included in the free Map Style Package include data for Zurich Area only. To be able to download datasets in other regions, you need to subscribe to MapTiler Data Package.
Check our pricing page for more information.

(Berlin with streets map style)

Customizing your own Map Style

If the Map Styles that are part of the package are not enough for you, there is a way to customize your own map style and use it in MapTiler Server. To be able to do so you need to go through the process of customizing and exporting the map style in MapTiler Cloud.

Useful links

How to try MapTiler Server using free MapTiler Data
How to run MapTiler Server on Windows
How to run MapTiler Server on macOS
How to run MapTiler Server on Linux
How to run MapTiler Server as Docker image
How to add and host data in MapTiler Server
How to try MapTiler Server using free MapTiler Data
How to work with map styles in MapTiler Server