FlatGeobuf to MBTiles

FlatGeobuf to MBTiles Converter

FlatGeobuf is a compact binary vector format built for efficient reading, streaming, and distribution of large static geospatial datasets. Convert it to MBTiles locally in your browser, inspect the map preview first, and export the generated files without uploading anything to a server.

Source Format Guide

What is FlatGeobuf?

FlatGeobuf is a compact binary vector format built for efficient reading, streaming, and distribution of large static geospatial datasets.

FlatGeobuf focuses on performance. It uses a binary layout that is lighter to parse than text-heavy formats and is well suited to delivering large feature collections without the overhead of a database server.

The format is especially attractive for publish-once, read-many workflows where the main goal is quick transfer and efficient client-side access rather than rich transactional editing.

Common Workflows

Common use cases

Download products for large basemap or thematic reference layers.
High-volume data publishing where users need a file instead of an API.
Intermediate exchange artifacts in automated pipelines that value speed and compactness.

Ecosystem

Where you will encounter it

High-performance file downloads.
Modern open-source GIS and geospatial ETL tooling.
Static dataset distribution where speed matters.

Strengths

Why teams choose FlatGeobuf

Binary encoding is more compact and faster to parse than many text formats.
Single-file delivery is easy to move and archive.
Good fit for large static datasets that do not need a full database container.

Limitations

Where FlatGeobuf gets awkward

It is less familiar to many business users than GeoJSON, CSV, or shapefile.
Text inspection is not as convenient because the format is binary.
Some downstream tools still require legacy or standards-driven export formats.

File Structure

Common file extensions and sidecar files

.fgb

Main FlatGeobuf binary file containing the features and associated spatial index information.

embedded spatial index

FlatGeobuf can carry indexing information inside the file instead of relying on separate sidecars.

Conversion Rationale

Why convert FlatGeobuf to MBTiles?

Teams commonly convert FlatGeobuf into MBTiles when they need a portable SQLite tile archive for offline distribution.

Teams convert FlatGeobuf when the destination user needs a more familiar format such as GeoJSON, shapefile, or GeoPackage.
It is also converted when the next step is tiled publication, database ingestion, or standards-driven XML delivery.
MBTiles packages tiled content into one file that is easy to ship to mobile, desktop, or field environments.
It is a common target when the output is meant for cached viewing rather than direct feature editing.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about FlatGeobuf

When should I choose FlatGeobuf?

Choose it when you need a fast, compact single-file vector delivery format for large static datasets.

Why is FlatGeobuf less common than GeoJSON?

GeoJSON is easier for people to read and already baked into many web and API workflows, while FlatGeobuf optimizes for performance instead.

Why convert FlatGeobuf after download?

Users often convert it into a format that matches their editing software, reporting tool, or required delivery standard.

Related Converters

More FlatGeobuf conversion paths

FlatGeobuf to GeoJSON

Open, preview, and convert FlatGeobuf data locally in your browser.

FlatGeobuf to GeoPackage

Open, preview, and convert FlatGeobuf data locally in your browser.

FlatGeobuf to ESRI Shapefile

Open, preview, and convert FlatGeobuf data locally in your browser.