Maps and layers can be configured programmatically on the Studio Platform.

# Map Configuration

At the top level, an map configuration object contains a version string and an object with map state, map style and visualization state.

The map object can be defined in a JSON-based format. The Map format is used in a number of places by the platform.

To learn more about Map Configuration, visit the [Map Configuration documentation](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-map-configuration).

# Layer Configuration

Studio offers a rich suite of layers that can be used to visualize datasets on maps. Multiple layers can be added to a map, visualizing different datasets (or different aspects of the same dataset).

To learn more about Layer Configuration, visit the [Layer Configuration documentation](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-configuration).

## Layer Catalog

| **Layer Type** | **Description** | **Layer Preview Image** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [`3D Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#3d) | 3D layer displays 3D models on map by using latitude and longitude coordinates. |  |
| [`Arc Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#arc) | Arc layers are useful for visualizing the distance between two points as well as comparing distances in 3D. |  |
| [`Cluster Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#cluster) | Cluster layers visualize aggregated data based on a geospatial radius. |  |
| [`Flow Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#flow) | Flow layers visualize origin-destination movement patterns between latitude and longitude coordinates. |  |
| [`Geojson/Polygon Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#geojson-polygon) | Polygon layers can display either paths, polygons or points. For example, a path layer can display data like trip routes. |  |
| [`Grid Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#grid) | Grid layers are similar to heatmap layers. They show the density of points. |  |
| [`H3 Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#h3) | H3 layers visualize spatial data using [H3 Hexagonal Hierarchical Spatial Index](https://eng.uber.com/h3/). |  |
| [`Heatmap Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#heatmap) | Heatmap is a graphical representation of data in which values are represented as colors. |  |
| [`Hexbin Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#hexagon) | Hexbin layers aggregate points into hexagons. The counts can be represented through color and/or height. |  |
| [`Icon Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#icon) | Icon layers are a type of point layer. They allow you to differentiate between points by assigning icons to points based on a field. |  |
| [`Line Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#line) | Line layers are the 2D version of arc layers. Both draw a line between two points to represent distance, but, in a line layer, the drawing lies flat on the map. |  |
| [`Point Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#point) | Point layers draw points for a given event or object based on its latitude and longitude. |  |
| [`Raster Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#raster-tile) | Raster layers show aerial photographs, imagery from satellites, or even scanned maps. |  |
| [`S2 Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#s2) | To use S2 layers, you need to assign a column containing S2 tokens. |  |
| [`Trip Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#trip) | Visualize movement through animations, such as air travel over a period of time |  |
| [`Vector Layer`](https://docs.foursquare.com/developer/docs/studio-layer-reference#vector) | Vector layers use the three basic GIS features to represent real-world features in digital format. |  |