Configuring basemaps
cartokit allows you to swap between and upload your own basemaps, giving you quick control over the geographic canvas.
To change your basemap cartokit, click the Basemap Picker in the Toolbar (or press B) and choose any option. Your current map’s data and layers will remain intact.
Basemap providers
Section titled “Basemap providers”cartokit currently provides basemaps from four providers, as well as the ability to supply our own OpenMapTiles-compatible schema from an accessible url.
CARTO offers modern basemaps ideal for data visualization and analysis. For non-commercial purposes, these basemaps are free to use and require no additional setup.
MapTiler
Section titled “MapTiler”MapTiler provides a wide range of vector styles for data visualization, navigation, and terrain mapping.
Stadia Maps
Section titled “Stadia Maps”Stadia Maps offers high-quality, fast tiles built for both light and dark interfaces. If you’re running via a local development server, you don’t need an API key.
Stamen
Section titled “Stamen”Stamen’s basemaps include creative and artistic styles such as Toner, Watercolor, and Terrain. Stamen Map Tiles are now served by Stadia Maps and should follow the same authentication procedures.
Custom basemap
Section titled “Custom basemap”The Custom tab in cartokit allows you to load your own basemap by supplying a URL to any style JSON compatible with the OpenMapTiles schema.
The OpenMapTiles schema defines a common structure for vector tiles derived from OpenStreetMap. Each tile is organized into thematic layers that describe how features should be rendered. Because the schema is open and widely adopted, many tools can produce compatible vector tiles and style JSON files that work seamlessly in cartokit.