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Reminder: Raster Basemaps Moving to Mature Support

By Robert Jensen

Esri raster basemaps will be entering mature support, which means it is important to begin updating your ArcGIS maps and apps to vector basemaps. Beginning in July 2021, Esri vector basemaps will become the primary basemaps for use in ArcGIS. At this time, raster basemaps will be placed in Mature Support. They will remain available, but they will no longer be updated. To ensure you are utilizing the latest and greatest data, it is important to update your basemaps to vector as soon as possible.

Esri vector basemaps have multiple advantages:

  • Optimized to quickly generate and update maps and apps.
  • Enhanced performance with compact basemaps sizes and more efficient draw times.
  • Improved personalization options allowing you to customize your basemap appearance and styles based on your needs.

Which raster basemaps require migration to vector?

The following raster basemaps will be entering mature support in July 2021 and require a migration for optimal basemap use.

World Dark Gray Canvas Base & World Dark Gray Canvas Reference

  • Replaced by Dark Gray Canvas Webmap

World Light Gray Canvas Base & World Light Gray Canvas Reference

  • Replaced by Light Gray Canvas Webmap

India Dark Gray Canvas Base & India Dark Gray Canvas Reference

  • Base replaced by Dark Gray Base – India Tile Layer
  • Reference replaced by Canvas Dark Gray Reference Tile Layer

India Light Gray Canvas Base & India Light Gray Canvas Reference

  • Base replaced by Light Gray Base – India Tile Layer
  • Reference replaced by Canvas Light Gray Reference Tile Layer

World Boundaries and Places, World Hybrid Overly, and World Transportation

  • All are replaced by Hybrid Reference Layer Tile Layer

National Geographic World Map

  • Replaced by National Geographic Style Webmap

World Street Map

Alternates to Streets include:

World Topo Map

  • Replaced by World Topographic Map Webmap

Which raster basemaps do not require a migration?

There are a select set of raster basemap services that will continue to be updated because they are foundational basemaps, and there are no vector basemap service equivalents. These basemap services include imagery, elevation and polar services.

  • World Imagery (including Clarity, Firely, GCS, and Wayback)
  • World Hillshade
  • World Dark Hillshade
  • Antarctic Imagery
  • Arctic Imagery
  • Arctic Ocean Base
  • World Ocean Base

Feedback

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact online_content@esri.com

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