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wtf is geojson-vt?

ivansanchez/geojson-vt — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-18 · repo last pushed 2016-03-07

JavaScriptAudience · developerComplexity · 3/5DormantSetup · easy

TL;DR

A browser-based JavaScript library that slices massive GeoJSON files into small vector tiles, so interactive maps stay fast without needing a server.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Slices GeoJSON into tiles
      Simplifies shapes
      Loads only visible view
    Tech stack
      JavaScript
      Node.js
      C++
    Use cases
      Render huge datasets
      Build interactive maps
    Audience
      Map developers

Code map

Detail Auto

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filefunction / class

Why would anyone build with this?

REASON 1

Load a 100MB GeoJSON file with millions of points and render it smoothly in Mapbox GL JS or Leaflet.

REASON 2

Display huge geographic datasets like zip codes or building footprints without running a GIS server.

REASON 3

Generate vector tiles on the backend in Node.js when you need server-side tile preparation.

REASON 4

Use the C++ version for performance-critical tile generation at scale.

What's in the stack?

JavaScriptNode.jsC++

How it stacks up

ivansanchez/geojson-vt3rd-eden/ircb.ioa15n/a15n
LanguageJavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript
Last pushed2016-03-072016-11-162019-04-07
MaintenanceDormantDormantDormant
Setup difficultyeasyeasyeasy
Complexity3/52/52/5
Audiencedeveloperdevelopergeneral

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you spin it up?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 30min

Runs entirely client-side, no server or GIS infrastructure required for the core use case.

No license information was found in the explanation.

Yoink these prompts

Prompt 1
Show me how to use geojson-vt to tile a large GeoJSON file and render it in Mapbox GL JS.
Prompt 2
Using geojson-vt, help me set up a Node.js backend that pre-generates vector tiles from my geographic dataset.
Prompt 3
Explain how geojson-vt simplifies shapes at lower zoom levels without losing important map detail.
Prompt 4
Walk me through integrating geojson-vt with Leaflet so my map only loads tiles for the current viewport.
Prompt 5
Help me benchmark geojson-vt against loading a raw 100MB GeoJSON file directly in the browser.

Frequently asked questions

wtf is geojson-vt?

A browser-based JavaScript library that slices massive GeoJSON files into small vector tiles, so interactive maps stay fast without needing a server.

What language is geojson-vt written in?

Mainly JavaScript. The stack also includes JavaScript, Node.js, C++.

Is geojson-vt actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2016-03-07).

What license does geojson-vt use?

No license information was found in the explanation.

How hard is geojson-vt to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is geojson-vt for?

Mainly developer.

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