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Leaflet vs MapLibre GL JS Comparison

Leaflet is a lightweight, mobile-friendly 2D mapping library with a large plugin ecosystem.

MapLibre GL JS is a WebGL-powered vector mapping library with 3D terrain and data-driven styling.

At a Glance

LeafletMapLibre
RenderingDOM + Canvas (2D)WebGL (GPU, 60fps)
Coordinate order[lat, lng][lng, lat]
Bundle size~42 KB gzipped~250 KB gzipped
Learning curveEasiest (simple API, great tutorials)Moderate (source/layer model, expressions)
3D supportNo native 3D (2D only)Full: terrain, fill-extrusion, globe, sky
Plugin ecosystemLargest (700+ plugins)Growing (MapLibre ecosystem)
Examples on this site2228

Leaflet vs MapLibre GL JS Code Example

The same use case, Initialize a Map, implemented in both libraries. Click a library to expand its code.

Leaflet6 linesShow code
arrow_forwardFull example
const map = L.map('map').setView([48.8566, 2.3522], 13);
L.tileLayer('https://api.maptiler.com/maps/streets-v4/256/{z}/{x}/{y}.png?key=YOUR_MAPTILER_KEY', {
  tileSize: 256,
  attribution: '&copy; <a href="https://www.maptiler.com/">MapTiler</a> &copy; <a href="https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright">OpenStreetMap contributors</a>'
}).addTo(map);
L.marker([48.8566, 2.3522]).addTo(map).bindPopup('Paris').openPopup();
MapLibre GL JS11 linesShow code
arrow_forwardFull example
const map = new maplibregl.Map({
  container: 'map',
  style: 'https://api.maptiler.com/maps/streets-v4/style.json?key=YOUR_MAPTILER_KEY',
  center: [2.3522, 48.8566],
  zoom: 13
});
map.addControl(new maplibregl.NavigationControl());
new maplibregl.Marker({ color: '#2196F3' })
  .setLngLat([2.3522, 48.8566])
  .setPopup(new maplibregl.Popup().setHTML('<b>Paris</b>'))
  .addTo(map);

Compare More Use Cases

Leaflet and MapLibre both have real, runnable examples for 22 use cases.

Satellite Basemaparrow_forwardCustom Marker Iconsarrow_forwardDrawing Toolsarrow_forwardExport Map as Imagearrow_forwardGeofencingarrow_forwardUser Geolocationarrow_forwardFuzzy Locationarrow_forwardAddress Searcharrow_forwardReverse Geocodingarrow_forwardChoropleth Maparrow_forwardHeatmap Layerarrow_forwardLines & Polylinesarrow_forwardPolygons & Areasarrow_forwardMap Gestures & Interactionsarrow_forwardInitialize a Maparrow_forwardSwitch Map Stylesarrow_forwardMarkers & Popupsarrow_forwardMarker Clusteringarrow_forwardGeoJSON Overlayarrow_forwardStore Locatorarrow_forwardRoute from A to Barrow_forwardStatic Map Imagearrow_forward

Leaflet vs MapLibre GL JS: Which Map Library Should You Use?

Leaflet

A lightweight, mobile-friendly 2D mapping library with a large plugin ecosystem.

  • check_circleA strong choice for quick satellite imagery embeds using simple raster tile URL templates with optional labels toggle via layer controls.
  • check_circleThe right choice when you need pixel-perfect control over icon anchor points, shadow images, and retina variants via L.icon() options.
  • check_circleBest when you need a full-featured drawing toolbar with edit and delete controls via the mature Leaflet.draw plugin.
MapLibre GL JS

A WebGL-powered vector mapping library with 3D terrain and data-driven styling.

  • check_circleBest when you need vector label overlays on satellite imagery with crisp text rendering at any zoom level.
  • check_circleMakes the most sense when custom icons should be GPU-rendered as symbol layers for thousands of points, or when you need rotation and scaling expressions.
  • check_circleIdeal when you need lightweight vertex-click polygon drawing without a plugin dependency, using GeoJSON source updates.

FAQ

Which is easier to learn, Leaflet or MapLibre?

Leaflet: Easiest (simple API, great tutorials). MapLibre: Moderate (source/layer model, expressions).

Which has the smaller bundle size, Leaflet or MapLibre?

Leaflet ships the smaller bundle: Leaflet is ~42 KB gzipped; MapLibre GL JS is ~250 KB gzipped.

Does Leaflet or MapLibre support 3D map features?

Leaflet: No native 3D (2D only). MapLibre: Full: terrain, fill-extrusion, globe, sky.

Is MapLibre GL JS related to Mapbox GL JS?

MapLibre GL JS is a community fork of Mapbox GL JS v1.13, the last version released under an open-source (BSD) license before Mapbox switched to a proprietary license in December 2020. MapTiler, Elastic, StadiaMaps, and other companies maintain it together as a free, open-source alternative.

Does Leaflet or MapLibre GL JS work with React?

Both have standard community wrappers: react-leaflet for Leaflet, and react-map-gl (maintained by Vis.gl) for MapLibre GL JS.

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