Question 1

How does leafgl compare to standard leaflet for large datasets?

Accepted Answer

leafgl uses WebGL for GPU acceleration to handle millions of features efficiently, while standard leaflet relies on SVG/Canvas and struggles with performance on massive datasets. However, leafgl sacrifices customization features like complex popups for this speed boost.

Question 2

How to fix color problems in leafgl maps?

Accepted Answer

If colors appear incorrect, try setting opacity = 1 as a workaround, as mentioned in the README's note section. This is a known issue related to WebGL rendering on certain operating systems and browsers, with no universal fix yet.

Question 3

Can leafgl handle millions of polygons efficiently?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but with caveats: it can render hundreds of thousands of polygons, as shown in the example with Swiss land use data, but performance depends on polygon complexity and hardware. Millions of simple polygons might work, but complex ones could cause issues.

Question 4

Is leafgl stable enough for production Shiny apps?

Accepted Answer

Not currently, as it's pre-alpha with frequent changes and breaking updates, making it risky for production. The README warns about instability and recommends using it for experimentation or internal projects until a stable release.

Question 5

How to integrate leafgl with Shiny for interactive dashboards?

Accepted Answer

Use leafglOutput in the UI and renderLeaflet in the server function, similar to standard leaflet integration. The README provides a complete example with a map rendering 1 million points in a Shiny app.

Question 6

What are the system requirements for leafgl to work properly?

Accepted Answer

Requires a modern browser with WebGL support and sufficient RAM, as performance is hardware-dependent. The README notes that rendering environments other than browsers or RStudio viewer may not work properly until the implementation stabilizes.

Question 7

Are there any alternatives to leafgl for high-performance mapping in R?

Accepted Answer

Alternatives include mapview for smaller datasets or custom JavaScript solutions using Leaflet.glify directly, but leafgl is unique in providing a native R interface for WebGL-accelerated mapping within the Leaflet ecosystem.

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