Introduction to CARTO Builder
What is CARTO Builder
Builder is a web-based mapping tool designed for creating interactive maps and visualizations directly from your cloud data warehouse. It offers powerful map making capabilities, interactive data visualizations, collaboration and publication options - all seamlessly integrated with your data warehouse for a streamlined experience.
CARTO Builder UI Elements
This diagram provides a quick look of the Builder interface so you know your way around before getting started.
Data sources 7. Basemaps 13. Data export
SQL Editor 8. Map view 14. Map description
Widgets 10. Select features 16. Map settings
Legend 12. SQL Parameters
1. Data sources
The data sources section allows you to add new sources to Builder, access each source options as well as enabling features at source level.
When adding new sources to Builder, its direct connection to your Data Warehouse ensures your data remains centralized, facilitating seamless geospatial visualization creation within your own data infrastructure. Learn more about data sources and map layers.
2. SQL Editor
The Builder SQL Editor enhances your ability to precisely control and flexibility for the data you wish to display and analyze on your map. By defining your data source via SQL queries, you can fine-tune your map's performance, such as selecting only essential columns and conducting data aggregations. Refer to this section for essential recommendations on using the SQL Editor effectively.
3. Layers
Once a data source is added to Builder, it instantly creates a map layer. From here, you can dive into the map layer options to choose your preferred visualization type and customize the layer's styling properties to your liking. Learn more about data sources and map layers.
4. Widgets
Widgets enable users to dynamically explore and interact with data, resulting in rich and engaging visualizations. These widgets not only facilitate data exploration but also allow for filtering based on the map viewport and interactions with other connected widgets.
Each widget is linked to a specific data source. After configuration, they are displayed in the right panel of the interface. As an Editor, you have the flexibility to define the behavior of these widgets: they can be set to update based on the current viewport, providing localized insights, or configured to reflect global statistics, representing the entire data source.
5. Interactions
Enable interactions in Builder to reveal attribute values of your source, allowing users to gain insights by clicking or hovering over map features.
As a more advance feature, you can customize tooltips using HTML, which lets you embed images, gifs, and more, enhancing the visual appeal and informativeness of your data presentation.
6. Legend
The legend in Builder helps viewers understand layer styles in your map. Configure it in the legend panel to apply properties to specific legends, customize labels, and access controls to set legend behavior.
7. Basemap
In the basemap panel, you have the flexibility to choose a basemap that best fits the specific needs of your visualization or analysis.
For those utilizing CARTO Basemap, you can easily adjust the basemap's appearance to show or hide different map components, such as labels, roads, or landmarks, tailoring it to your project's requirements and enhancing the overall clarity and effectiveness of your map.
8. Map view
While working in Builder, you have the option to customize your map view according to your preferences. You can choose between a single view, which provides a focused perspective on one area of the map, or a split view, offering a comparative look at different regions or aspects simultaneously.
Additionally, there's a 3D view option, which is particularly useful if you're utilizing our height intrusion feature to represent polygon features in three dimensions. This 3D view can significantly enhance the visualization of spatial data, offering a more immersive and detailed perspective.
9. Search locations
Builder contains different features that allow users to easily find locations. Users can leverage the Location Search Bar located at the top left corner of the map to either find address or lat/long locations. Additionally, they can make use of focus on your current location that will focus the map to the device IP location.
10. Select features
In Builder, the feature selection tool lets you highlight areas on the map and filter data at the same time. You can choose how to select areas: use a rectangle, polygon, circle, or the lasso for free-hand drawing.
11. Measure distances
Also available in the top bar, you can use Builder measure tool to measure point-to-point distances. Once the measurement is finalised, the total distance will be displayed.
12. SQL Parameters
Builder allows you to add SQL Parameters as placeholders in your SQL Query sources. This allows end users to update these placeholders dynamically by entering input in the parameter controls. Learn more about SQL Parameters in this section.
13. Data export
The data export feature in Builder, found in the top right corner, lets users export features from selected layers. It exports features within the current map view, including any filters applied through the feature selection tool, widgets, or parameters.
14. Map Description
This feature supports Markdown syntax, offering options like headers, text formatting, links, images, and more to enrich your map's narrative.
15. Share and collaborate
Once you've finished your map in Builder, it's easy to share it with your organization or the public. While sharing, you can activate collaboration mode, permitting other organization members to edit the map. Additionally, you can grant map viewers specific functionalities, like searching for locations or measuring distances, to enhance their interactive experience.
16. Map settings
To access map settings in Builder, click on the three dots in the top right corner. From here, you have the option to either delete or duplicate your map as needed.
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