Configurable apps are an easy way to turn any map into an app, and most of us are familiar with them. Perhaps less known, but equally advantageous and effective, are the group-based configurable apps. These enable you to present a specific collection of content in a meaningful way to your audience, whether it be the public, organizations you are working and sharing with, or specific users within your organization. Group gallery apps are designed to work with the items you add to a group, and offer different ways to present those items beyond the standard capabilities of the group alone.
Typically, a great app starts with a great map. Since a great gallery app starts with a collection of well-documented items, you will need to consider best practices. See Improving Content Quality for guidelines and tips. Following these guidelines can greatly improve the experience for others discovering your content through gallery apps.
The latest release of ArcGIS Online has three options for building gallery apps based on a group of items. Each provides a different approach for your audience to discover and explore your content.
Accessing the gallery apps
Gallery apps can be found in several ways, but the easiest is to go to the group Overview tab, and click Share.
In Share, click Create a Web App.
You will find the three gallery apps discussed in this article, and highlighted below, on the Create a New Web App template gallery.
Click a thumbnail to learn more about the template, and click Create Web App to begin configuring it.
Layer Showcase
Layer Showcase is a group-based configurable app that allows you to display a gallery of layers found within a group. The layers are displayed in a ribbon, and can be added to a map or globe. This app is handy for allowing viewers to explore layer-based content and optionally create a new map or scene based on the layers that have been added to the view.
Layer Showcase key features
- Retractable ribbon and side panel.
- Side panel display group description when opened, and layer descriptions when added or clicked.
- Table of contents, used to toggle layer visibility, change display order, display a legend, and adjust transparency.
- Supports 2d and 3d display modes.
- Create Map button, used to create a map or scene once layers have been added.
- Includes links to all item details.
For more information see Use Layer Showcase to view and create 2D/3D maps, or view the Layer Showcase item details.
Minimal Gallery
Minimal Gallery is useful for creating simple searchable galleries of static or interactive maps. It can work as a standalone app or can be embedded in a website. The Minimal Gallery app is particularly useful for showcasing a smaller set of items that are focused on a common theme or location. This app can be configured to open items from the gallery in several different ways, including in a light box over the gallery, or full screen in a new tab.
Minimal Gallery key features
- A clean, minimal user experience for browsing a wide variety of content.
- Can be configured in a variety of different ways to suit GIS audiences, public access, and everything in between.
- Presents a clean, clear, minimal user interface to facilitate browsing and use of items
For more information see Create a simple, card-based gallery using Minimal Gallery, or view the Minimal Gallery item details.
Category Gallery
Category Gallery offers more interactivity than the Minimal Gallery. Users can explore the content using search or filters, including categories defined at the group or organization levels. The key value that this app provides is the ability to leverage categorized content from a group. This example shows the default configuration of the app.
Category Gallery key features
- Enables viewers to search by category, as well as item type, date created, date modified, date shared, status, and tags.
- Specify map viewing options, including search, legend, scalebar, home button, measurement tools, basemap toggle, and sharing.
- Provide a title, and optionally customize the contents of the header via HTML.
For more information see
More information
Group based gallery apps enable you to present a specific collection of content in a meaningful way to your audience, whether it be the public, organizations you are working and sharing with, or specific users within your organization. Group gallery apps are designed to work with the items you add to a group, and offer different ways to present those items beyond the standard capabilities of the group alone.
For more information see
