Map styles
Use the Mapbox Studio style editor to design a map to your exact specifications.
Mapbox Studio topics covered in this section:
Upload
Dataset
Tileset
Template style
Custom style
Add data to style
Style data
Publish
What is a style?
A style is a JSON document that conforms to the Mapbox Style Specification. The style specification is designed especially for Mapbox GL JS (browser) and the Mapbox mobile SDKs (mobile) to read and understand so your map can be rendered on the page. The style controls almost everything about the map.
The Mapbox Styles API powers your ability to change the fonts, colors, and icons on a map style through the visual interface of Mapbox Studio. The Mapbox Styles API is an integral part of our cartography software and is used across several Mapbox tools.
The style editor
The Mapbox Studio style editor is a visual interface for creating styles. Each layer you add to the style in the Mapbox Studio style editor is added to this JSON object via the Styles API when you save, and is then passed to the browser or device when the map is requested. Once created, you can keep your style hosted with Mapbox to serve to your map or you can download the JSON object as a document.
Read more about the style editorTemplate styles
There are several Mapbox-designed map styles that can either be used directly in your web or mobile application or be used as a starting point for creating a new custom style in Mapbox Studio. To explore available styles click New style on your Styles page.
Style variations
When you choose Monochrome or Navigation, you can choose between multiple preset style variations. Monochrome allows you to select between Light, Dark, Sky, Bubblegum, Midnight, and Golden variations; Navigation allows you to select between Day and Night.
Examples
The Examples page contains a collection of style examples that highlight specific features like adding 3D buildings and hillshades. You can browse examples and add the styles directly to your account to get started.