Choosing the right standard for geospatial tiles affects speed, compatibility, and how easily your web GIS scales. Below is a practical breakdown of OGC API – Tiles, WMTS, and XYZ so you can decide what to ship today—and how to migrate with less risk.
Quick definitions
OGC API – Tiles — Modern, RESTful building blocks to serve tiles of vector features, coverages, and maps with OpenAPI discovery. Aims to replace older tiles interfaces over time.
WMTS — OGC standard for serving pre-rendered (or cached) map tiles using declared tile matrices; widely supported in enterprise GIS.
XYZ — De facto web mapping URL scheme
{z}/{x}/{y}used by Leaflet/MapLibre; simple and fast to consume, not a formal OGC standard.
Differences that matter
Discovery & metadata
OGC API – Tiles advertises collections, tile sets, and capabilities via REST + JSON and OpenAPI docs, easing client generation.
WMTS uses Capabilities documents (XML) to declare layers and tile matrices; proven but heavier.
XYZ has no formal discovery—clients need the URL template.
Addressing & caching
XYZ: simplest
{z}/{x}/{y}addressing; CDN-friendly.WMTS: tile addressing tied to a declared Tile Matrix Set; strong predictability for caching.
OGC API – Tiles: modern HTTP semantics with explicit tile sets and ranges; designed for scalable caching.
Data types & formats
WMTS commonly serves raster tiles (PNG/JPEG).
OGC API – Tiles explicitly supports multiple geospatial resource types including vector tiles and coverages.
XYZ can serve whatever your server returns, but conventionally raster (or vector via specific libraries).
Auth & enterprise fit
OGC API – Tiles aligns with modern API security patterns (tokens, scopes) and OpenAPI governance.
WMTS remains the safest bet when mandated by enterprise GIS stacks and vendor support.
How geospatial teams should choose (decision table)
Use case | Pick | Why |
Fast web maps with simple consumption | XYZ | |
Enterprise systems with existing tile caches | WMTS | |
New APIs, mixed data (vector & coverage), future-proofing | OGC API – Tiles |
Related: see our guide on adding external data sources to your project (WMS/WFS/TMS) for quick integrations.
Migration tips
Keep WMTS for legacy consumers; expose OGC API – Tiles in parallel as you modernize.
Start with an XYZ endpoint for public basemaps; layer enterprise tiles behind OGC/WMTS as needed.
Document your tile matrix sets and projections to avoid reprojection surprises during the cutover.
FAQ
Does OGC API – Tiles replace WMTS today?
Not immediately; it’s the modern path, and many vendors now add support alongside WMTS.
Is XYZ a standard?
No—it's a widely used convention supported by web mapping libraries.
Can WMTS serve vector tiles?
Primarily raster; vector delivery typically uses other mechanisms, whereas OGC API – Tiles covers vector tile use cases.
What projection should I use?
Most XYZ/WMTS deployments use Web Mercator (EPSG:3857); confirm in your Capabilities/metadata.
Key takeaways
Use XYZ for simple public maps, WMTS for entrenched enterprise stacks, and OGC API – Tiles for future-ready APIs.
Plan a staged migration with dual publishing where possible.
Document tile matrices and advertise metadata clearly.
Book a demo: Want help choosing and implementing the right tile interface? Book a demo and we’ll review your stack.
Aug 28, 2025
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