Labels

Render a text label per feature, computed from one or more fields, with placement and visibility controls.

basic

Labels render a text string per feature on the map. The string is computed from one or more fields; placement, font, halo, and zoom-visibility are all configurable.

Inputs

  • A layer on the map.
  • A label expression. Plain text with field references in {braces}: "{name}", "{owner} ({acres} ac)", "#{parcel_id}".
  • A font and size.
  • A halo / outline (optional) for legibility over busy basemaps.
  • A placement strategy: - For points: above, below, centered, offset. - For lines: along the line, with curve following. - For polygons: centroid, pole of inaccessibility (the visual center for irregular shapes).
  • Visibility scale window: minimum and maximum zoom levels at which labels render. Common pattern: hide at low zoom (too cluttered), show at street level.

How to set it

  1. Open the map in the builder.
  2. In the layer list, click Style → Labels tab.
  3. Toggle labels on.
  4. Type the label expression.
  5. Pick font, halo, placement.
  6. Set the zoom window if needed.
  7. Save.

Collision avoidance

The renderer hides labels that would overlap each other. There's no "show all labels even if overlapping" toggle today; the right answer for that case is usually a clustered point + a popup with the full list.

A label's priority field (in the label panel) breaks ties: when two labels collide, the higher-priority one wins. Useful for "always show the city name even if the street labels go away."

Notes

  • Expressions are not Arcade. Field interpolation is the supported syntax today. If you need conditional labels ("Open" or "Closed" based on a status field), compute a derived column on the layer and label off that.
  • Multi-line labels use a literal newline in the expression or a \n token.
  • Halo width is in pixels; 2px is a common starting point on imagery backgrounds.