---
name: maps
description: Make deterministic Remotion map animations with MapLibre GL JS and Turf. Use for animated routes, flyovers, map markers, labels, and camera movement.
metadata:
  tags: map, map animation, maplibre, turf, geojson, route animation
---

Use MapLibre GL JS for rendering maps in Remotion. Use Turf for geospatial operations such as great-circle routes, distances, slicing lines, and positions along routes.

## Core rules

- Prefer `@turf/turf` for geospatial work. Do not hand-roll distance, great-circle, route slicing, or coordinate interpolation unless the user explicitly needs a custom non-geodesic effect.
- Use GeoJSON sources and MapLibre layers for lines, markers, and labels. Avoid DOM `Marker` elements unless the user specifically asks for HTML markers.
- Disable non-deterministic map behavior: `interactive: false`, `fadeDuration: 0`.
- Use `delayRender()` / `continueRender()` around map loading and per-frame map updates.
- Before continuing the initial render, add sources/layers, apply the frame-0 camera with `jumpTo()`, then wait for `idle`.
- Do not add a `mapInstance.remove()` cleanup function; it can interfere with Remotion's render lifecycle.
- Use standard MapLibre style JSON URLs and layer/source APIs.
- Do not install `@types/maplibre-gl`; MapLibre ships its own types.

Coordinates in MapLibre, Turf, and GeoJSON are `[longitude, latitude]`.

```ts
const zurich: [number, number] = [8.5417, 47.3769];
const newYork: [number, number] = [-74.006, 40.7128];
```

## Prerequisites

Install MapLibre and Turf with the project's package manager.

```bash
npm i maplibre-gl @turf/turf
```

```bash
bun i maplibre-gl @turf/turf
```

```bash
yarn add maplibre-gl @turf/turf
```

```bash
pnpm i maplibre-gl @turf/turf
```

Import the MapLibre CSS once in the component or an app-level stylesheet:

```ts
import 'maplibre-gl/dist/maplibre-gl.css';
```

## Basic map example

```tsx
import {useEffect, useRef, useState} from 'react';
import {AbsoluteFill, useDelayRender, useVideoConfig} from 'remotion';
import maplibregl from 'maplibre-gl';
import 'maplibre-gl/dist/maplibre-gl.css';

const zurich: [number, number] = [8.5417, 47.3769];

export const MyComposition = () => {
	const containerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
	const {delayRender, continueRender} = useDelayRender();
	const {width, height} = useVideoConfig();
	const [loadingHandle] = useState(() => delayRender('Loading map'));

	useEffect(() => {
		if (!containerRef.current) {
			return;
		}

		const mapInstance = new maplibregl.Map({
			container: containerRef.current,
			style: 'https://demotiles.maplibre.org/style.json',
			center: zurich,
			zoom: 7,
			interactive: false,
			attributionControl: false,
			fadeDuration: 0,
			canvasContextAttributes: {
				preserveDrawingBuffer: true,
			},
		});

		mapInstance.on('load', () => {
			mapInstance.jumpTo({center: zurich, zoom: 7});
			mapInstance.once('idle', () => {
				continueRender(loadingHandle);
			});
		});
	}, [continueRender, loadingHandle]);

	return (
		<AbsoluteFill>
			<div ref={containerRef} style={{width, height, position: 'absolute'}} />
		</AbsoluteFill>
	);
};
```

Animated examples should keep the loaded map in React state and skip per-frame updates until that state is set.

## Animated flight route example

This example shows the recommended pattern for route animations:

- Turf creates the route and markers.
- Turf slices the route for line reveal animation.
- The camera has a separate route from the target route.
- MapLibre's `calculateCameraOptionsFromTo()` is used for camera movement.
- Frame 0 is prepared before `continueRender()`.

```tsx
import * as turf from '@turf/turf';
import {useEffect, useRef, useState} from 'react';
import {
	AbsoluteFill,
	Easing,
	interpolate,
	useCurrentFrame,
	useDelayRender,
	useVideoConfig,
} from 'remotion';
import maplibregl, {type GeoJSONSource, type Map} from 'maplibre-gl';
import 'maplibre-gl/dist/maplibre-gl.css';

const zurich: [number, number] = [8.5417, 47.3769];
const newYork: [number, number] = [-74.006, 40.7128];

const greatCircleLine = (from: [number, number], to: [number, number]) => {
	const route = turf.greatCircle(from, to, {npoints: 100});

	if (route.geometry.type === 'LineString') {
		return turf.lineString(route.geometry.coordinates);
	}

	// Great-circle routes crossing the antimeridian can become MultiLineString.
	// Keep the example valid by choosing the longest segment.
	const longestSegment = route.geometry.coordinates.reduce((longest, segment) => {
		return segment.length > longest.length ? segment : longest;
	});

	return turf.lineString(longestSegment);
};

const targetRoute = greatCircleLine(zurich, newYork);
const targetRouteDistance = turf.length(targetRoute);

const cameraRoute = greatCircleLine(zurich, newYork);
const cameraRouteDistance = turf.length(cameraRoute);

const cityMarkers = turf.featureCollection([
	turf.point(zurich, {name: 'Zurich'}),
	turf.point(newYork, {name: 'New York'}),
]);

const clampProgress = (progress: number) => Math.min(1, Math.max(0, progress));

const distanceAlong = (totalDistance: number, progress: number) => {
	// Keep the route non-empty at progress 0; Turf can error on zero-length slices.
	return Math.max(0.001, totalDistance * clampProgress(progress));
};

const getPartialTargetRoute = (progress: number) => {
	return turf.lineSliceAlong(
		targetRoute,
		0,
		distanceAlong(targetRouteDistance, progress),
	);
};

const getCameraOptions = (
	map: Map,
	progress: number,
	cameraAltitudeMeters: number,
	cameraLatitudeOffset: number,
) => {
	const target = turf.along(
		targetRoute,
		distanceAlong(targetRouteDistance, progress),
	).geometry.coordinates;
	const camera = turf.along(
		cameraRoute,
		distanceAlong(cameraRouteDistance, progress),
	).geometry.coordinates;

	return map.calculateCameraOptionsFromTo(
		new maplibregl.LngLat(camera[0], camera[1] - cameraLatitudeOffset),
		cameraAltitudeMeters,
		new maplibregl.LngLat(target[0], target[1]),
	);
};

export const MyComposition = () => {
	const containerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
	const frame = useCurrentFrame();
	const {delayRender, continueRender} = useDelayRender();
	const {durationInFrames, height, width} = useVideoConfig();
	const [map, setMap] = useState<Map | null>(null);
	const [loadingHandle] = useState(() => delayRender('Loading MapLibre map'));

	useEffect(() => {
		if (!containerRef.current) {
			return;
		}

		const mapInstance = new maplibregl.Map({
			container: containerRef.current,
			style: 'https://demotiles.maplibre.org/style.json',
			center: zurich,
			zoom: 7,
			interactive: false,
			attributionControl: false,
			fadeDuration: 0,
			canvasContextAttributes: {
				preserveDrawingBuffer: true,
			},
		});

		mapInstance.on('load', () => {
			mapInstance.addSource('trace', {
				type: 'geojson',
				data: getPartialTargetRoute(0),
			});

			mapInstance.addLayer({
				id: 'trace-line',
				type: 'line',
				source: 'trace',
				layout: {
					'line-cap': 'round',
					'line-join': 'round',
				},
				paint: {
					'line-color': '#111111',
					'line-width': 7,
				},
			});

			mapInstance.addSource('city-markers', {
				type: 'geojson',
				data: cityMarkers,
			});

			mapInstance.addLayer({
				id: 'city-marker-dots',
				type: 'circle',
				source: 'city-markers',
				paint: {
					'circle-color': '#f03b20',
					'circle-radius': 12,
					'circle-stroke-color': '#ffffff',
					'circle-stroke-width': 4,
				},
			});

			mapInstance.addLayer({
				id: 'city-marker-labels',
				type: 'symbol',
				source: 'city-markers',
				layout: {
					'text-allow-overlap': true,
					'text-anchor': 'top',
					'text-field': ['get', 'name'],
					'text-offset': [0, 0.9],
					'text-size': 28,
				},
				paint: {
					'text-color': '#111111',
					'text-halo-color': '#ffffff',
					'text-halo-width': 3,
				},
			});

			mapInstance.jumpTo(getCameraOptions(mapInstance, 0, 180000, 1.1));
			mapInstance.once('idle', () => {
				setMap(mapInstance);
				continueRender(loadingHandle);
			});
		});
	}, [continueRender, loadingHandle]);

	useEffect(() => {
		if (!map) {
			return;
		}

		const handle = delayRender('Rendering MapLibre frame');
		const timelineProgress = interpolate(frame, [0, durationInFrames - 1], [0, 1], {
			extrapolateLeft: 'clamp',
			extrapolateRight: 'clamp',
		});
		const travelProgress = interpolate(timelineProgress, [0.2, 0.82], [0, 1], {
			extrapolateLeft: 'clamp',
			extrapolateRight: 'clamp',
			easing: Easing.inOut(Easing.cubic),
		});
		const cameraAltitudeMeters = interpolate(
			timelineProgress,
			[0, 0.28, 0.74, 1],
			[180000, 2200000, 2200000, 180000],
			{
				extrapolateLeft: 'clamp',
				extrapolateRight: 'clamp',
				easing: Easing.inOut(Easing.cubic),
			},
		);
		const cameraLatitudeOffset = interpolate(
			timelineProgress,
			[0, 0.28, 0.74, 1],
			[1.1, 8, 8, 1.1],
			{
				extrapolateLeft: 'clamp',
				extrapolateRight: 'clamp',
				easing: Easing.inOut(Easing.cubic),
			},
		);
		const trace = map.getSource('trace') as GeoJSONSource | undefined;

		trace?.setData(getPartialTargetRoute(travelProgress));
		map.jumpTo(
			getCameraOptions(
				map,
				travelProgress,
				cameraAltitudeMeters,
				cameraLatitudeOffset,
			),
		);

		map.once('idle', () => continueRender(handle));
		// Force an idle event even if the camera parameters are unchanged from the previous frame.
		map.triggerRepaint();
	}, [continueRender, delayRender, durationInFrames, frame, map]);

	return (
		<AbsoluteFill style={{backgroundColor: '#e8eef3'}}>
			<div ref={containerRef} style={{height, position: 'absolute', width}} />
		</AbsoluteFill>
	);
};
```

## Camera guidance

Use MapLibre's camera helper for camera movement:

```ts
map.calculateCameraOptionsFromTo(cameraLngLat, cameraAltitudeMeters, targetLngLat);
```

A good pattern is to keep two concepts separate:

- `targetRoute`: where the animated line is and where the camera looks.
- `cameraRoute`: where the camera moves.

Then use Turf to read positions from both routes for the same progress value:

```ts
const target = turf.along(targetRoute, targetDistance * progress).geometry.coordinates;
const camera = turf.along(cameraRoute, cameraDistance * progress).geometry.coordinates;

map.jumpTo(
	map.calculateCameraOptionsFromTo(
		new maplibregl.LngLat(camera[0], camera[1]),
		cameraAltitudeMeters,
		new maplibregl.LngLat(target[0], target[1]),
	),
);
```

For zoom-out / travel / zoom-in animations, animate travel progress separately from camera altitude. Camera altitude is measured in meters. This avoids heavy custom camera math.

## Lines

Use GeoJSON sources for lines. Unless the user asks, do not add glow effects or extra decorative points.

For geodesic flight routes, use Turf:

```ts
const line = greatCircleLine(start, end);
const distance = turf.length(line);
const partialLine = turf.lineSliceAlong(
	line,
	0,
	// Keep the route non-empty at progress 0.
	Math.max(0.001, distance * progress),
);
```

For a visually straight line on the map, use a simple GeoJSON `LineString` between the two points instead of `greatCircle()`.

## Markers and labels

Use map-native GeoJSON layers for markers and labels:

```tsx
mapInstance.addSource('markers', {
	type: 'geojson',
	data: turf.featureCollection([
		turf.point([-118.2437, 34.0522], {name: 'Los Angeles'}),
	]),
});

mapInstance.addLayer({
	id: 'marker-dots',
	type: 'circle',
	source: 'markers',
	paint: {
		'circle-color': '#f03b20',
		'circle-radius': 12,
		'circle-stroke-color': '#ffffff',
		'circle-stroke-width': 4,
	},
});

mapInstance.addLayer({
	id: 'marker-labels',
	type: 'symbol',
	source: 'markers',
	layout: {
		'text-allow-overlap': true,
		'text-anchor': 'top',
		'text-field': ['get', 'name'],
		'text-offset': [0, 0.9],
		'text-size': 28,
	},
	paint: {
		'text-color': '#111111',
		'text-halo-color': '#ffffff',
		'text-halo-width': 3,
	},
});
```

Make marker sizes and label font sizes large enough for the composition resolution.

## Styles

Default to the stock MapLibre demo style:

```ts
style: 'https://demotiles.maplibre.org/style.json'
```

If the user requests another style, use any valid MapLibre style JSON URL.

## Rendering

For WebGL map renders, prefer single concurrency and ANGLE:

```bash
bunx remotion render [composition-id] out/video.mp4 --gl=angle --concurrency=1
```

Use the equivalent package runner for the project. In npm projects, use `npx`; in Bun projects, use `bunx`.