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MBTiles 1.1

Sub-sections:

  • Interaction: HTTP endpoints needed for implementing interactivity
  • UTFGrid: storage of data used for interactivity

Abstract

MBTiles is a specification for storing tiled map data in SQLite databases for immediate usage and for transfer. MBTiles files, known as tilesets, must implement the specification below to ensure compatibility with devices.

Database Specifications

Tilesets are expected to be valid SQLite databases of version 3.0.0 or higher. Only core SQLite features are permitted; tilesets cannot require extensions.

Database

Note: the schemas outlined are meant to be followed as interfaces. SQLite views that produce compatible results are equally valid. For convenience, this specification refers to tables and virtual tables (views) as tables.

Metadata

Schema

The database is required to contain a table or view named metadata.

This table must yield exactly two columns named name and value. A typical create statement for the metadata table:

CREATE TABLE metadata (name text, value text);

Content

The metadata table is used as a key/value store for settings. Five keys are required:

  • name: The plain-english name of the tileset.
  • type: overlay or baselayer
  • version: The version of the tileset, as a plain number.
  • description: A description of the layer as plain text.
  • format: The image file format of the tile data: png or jpg

One row in metadata is suggested and, if provided, may enhance performance.

  • bounds: The maximum extent of the rendered map area. Bounds must define an area covered by all zoom levels. The bounds are represented in WGS:84 - latitude and longitude values, in the OpenLayers Bounds format - left, bottom, right, top. Example of the full earth: -180.0,-85,180,85.

Several additional keys are supported for tilesets that implement UTFGrid-based interaction. See interaction.md.

Tiles

Schema

The database is required to contain a table named tiles.

The table must yield four columns named zoom_level, tile_column, tile_row, and tile_data. A typical create statement for the tiles table:

CREATE TABLE tiles (zoom_level integer, tile_column integer, tile_row integer, tile_data blob);

Content

The tiles table contains tiles and the values used to locate them. The zoom_level, tile_column, and tile_row columns follow the Tile Map Service Specification in their construction, but in a restricted form:

The blob column contains raw image data in binary.

A subset of image file formats are permitted:

  • png
  • jpg