Quadtree tiles are common for representing large, multi-resolution geometry and images, as in “slippy” maps. d3.tile provides a convenient mechanism for computing which tile coordinates should be visible in the given viewport. Unlike dedicated libraries for slippy maps, such as Leaflet, d3.tile’s tiny, low-level API is agnostic about how the tiles are presented and offers greater flexibility. d3.tile works well with d3-geo for geographic maps and d3-zoom for interaction.
For examples, see the d3-tile collection on Observable.
If you use NPM, npm install d3-tile. Otherwise, download the latest release. You can also load directly as a standalone library. ES modules, AMD, CommonJS, and vanilla environments are supported. In vanilla, a d3 global is exported:
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/d3-tile@1"></script>
<script>
const tile = d3.tile();
const tiles = tile({k: 256, x: 480, y: 250});
</script># d3.tile() · Source, Examples
Constructs a new tile layout with the default settings.
const tile = d3.tile();# tile(…arguments) · Source, Examples
Computes the set of tiles to display given the current settings, computing the scale and translate by invoking the corresponding accessors with the given arguments. Returns an array of [x, y, z] arrays representing the x- (horizontal), y- (vertical) and z- (zoom) integer coordinates of any tiles which intersect the current viewport; these are the “visible” tiles. The returned tiles array also has tiles.scale and tiles.translate properties which together with an individual tile’s x and y determine the intended location of the tile in the viewport.
For example, the following function computes the pixel coordinates of the top-left corner of the given tile in the current viewport:
function position(tile, tiles) {
const [x, y] = tile;
const {translate: [tx, ty], scale: k} = tiles;
return [(x + tx) * k, (y + ty) * k];
}And in use:
const tile = d3.tile();
const tiles = tile({k: 256, x: 480, y: 250});
for (const t of tiles) {
console.log(`tile ${t} is at ${position(t, tiles)}`);
}See Zoomable Tiles for more information on tile coordinates.
# tile.extent([extent]) · Source
If extent is specified, sets this tile layout’s viewport extent to the specified array [[x0, y0], [x1, y1]], where [x0, y0] is the top-left corner and [x1, y1] is the bottom-right corner, and returns this tile layout. If extent is not specified, returns the current viewport extent, which defaults to [[0, 0], [960, 500]].
const tile = d3.tile().extent([[100, 200], [300, 400]]);Setting the viewport extent implicitly sets the viewport size.
If size is specified, sets this tile layout’s viewport size to the specified array of numbers [width, height] and returns this tile layout. If size is not specified, returns the current viewport size, which defaults to [960, 500].
const tile = d3.tile().size([200, 200]);This is a convenience method for setting the viewport extent to [[0, 0], [width, height]].
# tile.scale([scale]) · Source
If scale is specified, sets this tile layout’s scale function and returns this tile layout. If scale is a function, it is invoked when the tile layout is invoked, being passed the same arguments as the tile layout; this function must return a number indicating the desired width and height of the world tile [0, 0, 0].
const tile = d3.tile().scale(t => t.scale).translate(t => t.translate);
const tiles = tile({scale: 1024, translate: [100, 200]});If scale is not a function, it assumed to be a constant number, and is wrapped in a function.
const tile = d3.tile().scale(1024).translate([100, 200]);If scale is not specified, returns the current layout scale function, which defaults to:
function scale(transform) {
return transform.k;
}This default is compatible with a d3-zoom transform.
# tile.translate([translate]) · Source
If translate is specified, sets this tile layout’s translate function and returns this tile layout. If translate is a function, it is invoked when the tile layout is invoked, being passed the same arguments as the tile layout; this function must return an array of numbers [x, y] indicating the desired coordinates the center of the world tile [0, 0, 0].
const tile = d3.tile().scale(t => t.scale).translate(t => t.translate);
const tiles = tile({scale: 1024, translate: [100, 200]});If translate is not a function, it is assumed to be a constant array [x, y] and is wrapped in a function.
const tile = d3.tile().scale(1024).translate([100, 200]);If translate is not specified, returns the current layout translate function, which defaults to:
function translate(transform) {
return [transform.x, transform.y];
}This default is compatible with a d3-zoom transform.
# tile.clampX([clamp]) · Source, Examples
If clamp is specified, sets whether or not the visible tiles will be clamped in the x-dimension and returns this tile layout. If clamp is not specified, returns whether x-clamping is enabled, which defaults to true. If x-clamping is disabled, then the tile layout may return tiles that are outside the normal bounds 0 ≤ x < 2^z of the “world” tile [0, 0, 0].
const tile = d3.tile().clampX(false);See d3.tileWrap for converting these coordinates to wrapped in-world coordinates, and Wrapped Tiles for example.
# tile.clampY([clamp]) · Source
If clamp is specified, sets whether or not the visible tiles will be clamped in the y-dimension and returns this tile layout. If clamp is not specified, returns whether y-clamping is enabled, which defaults to true. If y-clamping is disabled, then the tile layout may return tiles that are outside the normal bounds 0 ≤ y < 2^z of the “world” tile [0, 0, 0].
const tile = d3.tile().clampY(false);See d3.tileWrap for converting these coordinates to wrapped in-world coordinates, and Wrapped Tiles for example. See also tile.clampX.
# tile.clamp([clamp]) · Source
If clamp is specified, sets tile.clampX and tile.clampY to the specified boolean clamp and returns this tile layout. If clamp is not specified, returns true if tile.clampX and tile.clampY are both true, and false otherwise.
const tile = d3.tile().clamp(false);# tile.tileSize([tileSize]) · Source, Examples
If tileSize is specified, sets this tile layout’s tile width and height to the specified number tileSize and returns this tile layout. If tileSize is not specified, returns the current layout tile size, which defaults to 256. 256 and 512 are the most common tile sizes.
const tile = d3.tile().tileSize(512);# tile.zoomDelta([zoomDelta]) · Source, Examples
If zoomDelta is specified, sets this tile layout’s zoom offset to the specified number zoomDelta and returns this tile layout. If zoomDelta is not specified, returns the current zoom offset, which defaults to 0. The zoom offset affects which z-coordinate is chosen based on the current scale; the default zoom offset of 0 will choose the z that is closest the displayed size; a zoom offset of -1 will use z - 1, giving tiles that are twice as big (lower resolution); a zoom offset of +1 will use z + 1, giving tiles that are twice as small (higher resolution). The latter might be appropriate for showing 256×256 tiles in a 128×128 space on a high-resolution screen.
const tile = d3.tile().zoomDelta(2);# d3.tileWrap(tile) · Source, Examples
Given tile coordinates [x, y, z], where x and y may be outside the “world” tile [0, 0, 0], returns the wrapped tile coordinates [x′, y′, z] where j = 2 ^ z, x′ = x - ⌊x / j⌋ * j and y′ = y - ⌊y / j⌋ * j. This function is most commonly used in conjunction with tile.clampX to allow horizontal wrapping of web Mercator tiles.
d3.tileWrap([-1, 0, 1]) // [1, 0, 1]
d3.tileWrap([-1, 0, 2]) // [3, 0, 2]See Wrapped Tiles for example.