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COG raster layers

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COG, a Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF, joins GeoParquet and PMTiles as a format Groundwork reads straight into a layer: from a .tif/.tiff file in a cloud folder, from a cloud-hosted QGIS project’s raster layer, or from a collection in an external STAC catalogue.

A COG layer is a picture of its data, such as aerial imagery, elevation or a scanned map, so it has no feature list and nothing on it can be selected, filtered or edited. It draws in natural colour where the file has at least three bands, or as a single tone otherwise, using the statistics built into the file; a style published alongside it isn’t applied.

How to try it

  1. Save a .tif/.tiff raster alongside your QGIS project or in a cloud folder, or add a COG collection from a STAC catalogue.
  2. Publish the folder, or connect the catalogue, as you would any other source.
  3. Open the map: the raster draws as a layer, with no feature list.

Connecting a data source in the Administrator Guide covers this in full.

STAC collection itemsGeoParquet layers