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WMS output formats

WMS returns images in a number of possible formats. This page shows a list of the output formats. The syntax for setting an output format is:

format=<format>

where <format> is any of the options below.

Note

The list of output formats supported by a GeoServer instance can be found by a WMS GetCapabilities request.
    • Format
    • Syntax
    • Notes
    • PNG
    • format=image/png
    • Default
    • PNG8
    • format=image/png8
    • Same as PNG, but computes an optimal 256 color (8 bit) palette, so the image size is usually smaller
    • JPEG

      • - format=image/jpeg

    • JPEG-PNG
    • format=image/vnd.jpeg-png
    • A custom format that will decide dynamically, based on the image contents, if it's best to use a JPEG or PNG compression. The images are returned in JPEG format if fully opaque and not paletted. In order to use this format in a meaningful way the GetMap must include a "&transparent=TRUE" parameter, as without it GeoServer generates opaque images with the default/requested background color, making this format always return JPEG images (or always PNG, if they are paletted). When using the layer preview to test this format, remember to add "&transparent=TRUE" to the preview URL, as normally the preview generates non transparent images.
    • JPEG-PNG8
    • format=image/vnd.jpeg-png8
    • Same as JPEG-PNG, but generating a paletted output if the PNG format is chosen
    • GIF

      • - format=image/gif

    • TIFF

      • - format=image/tiff

    • TIFF8
    • format=image/tiff8
    • Same as TIFF, but computes an optimal 256 color (8 bit) palette, so the image size is usually smaller
    • GeoTIFF
    • format=image/geotiff
    • Same as TIFF, but includes extra GeoTIFF metadata
    • GeoTIFF8
    • format=image/geotiff8
    • Same as TIFF, but includes extra GeoTIFF metadata and computes an optimal 256 color (8 bit) palette, so the image size is usually smaller
    • SVG

      • - format=image/svg

    • PDF

      • - format=application/pdf

    • GeoRSS

      • - format=rss

    • KML

      • - format=kml

    • KMZ

      • - format=kmz

    • MapML

      • - format=text/mapml

    • MapML HTML Viewer

      • - text/html; subtype=mapml

    • OpenLayers
    • format=application/openlayers
    • Generates an OpenLayers HTML application.
    • UTFGrid
    • format=application/json;type=utfgrid
    • Generates an UTFGrid 1.3 JSON response. Requires vector output, either from a vector layer, or from a raster layer turned into vectors by a rendering transformation.