Layer Render Modes

Render mode controls how a layer is drawn on the map.

You choose it from the layer settings in the Data tab. The underlying layer stays the same, but the map can present that layer in very different ways depending on the render mode you select.

How render modes work

Topologis currently supports five layer render modes:

• GeoJSON
• Tiles
• Heatmap
• Point Clusters
• Hexbin

Render mode and style work together. Render mode decides the drawing strategy, while style controls the visual appearance where that mode supports styling. If you are still importing or cleaning data, start with Import Data. If you want to refine appearance after choosing a mode, continue with Styles.

GeoJSON mode

GeoJSON mode draws the layer from feature data loaded into the client.

This mode is useful when you want direct feature rendering and when you need layer time-series support. In the current implementation, time series is only available for GeoJSON layers.

There is an important performance tradeoff here. As a practical rule, GeoJSON mode does not work well for large datasets. Once you get above roughly 20,000 features, you should usually switch to Tiles instead.

Use GeoJSON when:

• The layer is relatively small
• You need time series on the layer
• You want direct feature rendering without switching to an aggregated mode

Tiles mode

Tiles mode is the safer default for larger datasets.

It is a better fit when the map needs to stay responsive while drawing many features across different zoom levels. If a layer feels heavy in GeoJSON mode, Tiles is usually the first alternative to try.

Use Tiles when:

• The layer has a large number of features
• You want better map performance for browsing and navigation
• You do not need GeoJSON-only time-series behavior on that layer

Heatmap mode

Heatmap mode turns point data into a density surface.

Instead of showing every point directly, it emphasizes where points are concentrated. The current settings let you adjust color ramp, radius, intensity, threshold, and weighting.

Heatmap weighting can be based on:

• Simple point count
• A numeric field in the layer

Use Heatmap when:

• You want to show concentration rather than individual points
• The point layer is dense enough that separate symbols are not helpful
• A hotspot view communicates the pattern better than exact locations

Point clusters mode

Point Clusters groups nearby points together and shows a cluster count.

This mode keeps point layers readable when many markers overlap at lower zoom levels. As you zoom in, clusters break apart into smaller groups and then individual points.

The current settings include:

• Cluster style
• Label size
• Cluster radius

Use Point Clusters when:

• You still want point-based map reading
• The layer has many overlapping points
• A count-based summary is more useful than drawing every marker at once

Hexbin mode

Hexbin aggregates point data into hexagonal bins.

This mode is useful when you want a more structured summary than a heatmap and more aggregation control than point clusters. The current settings support color ramps, radius, coverage, field-based aggregation, and optional extrusion for 3D height.

Hexbin can use:

• Count-based aggregation
• Field-based color aggregation
• Field-based height aggregation

Use Hexbin when:

• You want to summarize point patterns spatially
• You need comparable bins instead of a continuous heat surface
• You want 2D or extruded 3D aggregation from point data

Time series layers

Time series is configured at the layer level, but it depends on render mode.

In the current product, time series is only available for GeoJSON layers. The layer also needs at least one date field so you can choose the time-series field.

If time series is part of the goal, choose GeoJSON first and then configure the layer’s time field.

Choosing the right mode

If you are unsure where to start, use these rules:

• Start with Tiles for large general-purpose layers
• Use GeoJSON for smaller layers and for time series
• Use Heatmap when point density matters more than exact point symbols
• Use Point Clusters when you want readable points plus counts at lower zoom levels
• Use Hexbin when you want aggregated spatial bins, especially for point analysis and 3D summaries

If a GeoJSON layer starts to feel heavy, treat that as a signal to change modes. In practice, layers above about 20,000 features are usually better handled with Tiles or with an aggregated point mode, depending on the story the map needs to tell.