Guide for migrating from MapLibre GL JS to Mapbox GL JS, covering API compatibility, token setup, style configuration, and the benefits of Mapbox's official support and ecosystem

MapLibre to Mapbox Migration Skill Expert guidance for migrating from MapLibre GL JS to Mapbox GL JS. Covers the shared history, API compatibility, migration steps, and the advantages of Mapbox's platform. Understanding the Fork History MapLibre GL JS is an open source fork of Mapbox GL JS v1.13.0 , created in December 2020 when Mapbox changed their license starting with v2.0. Timeline: Pre 2020: Mapbox GL JS was open source (BSD license) Dec 2020: Mapbox GL JS v2.0 introduced proprietary license Dec 2020: Community forked v1.13 as MapLibre GL JS Present: Both libraries continue active development Key Insight: The APIs are ~95% identical because MapLibre started as a Mapbox fork. Most code works in both with minimal changes, making migration straightforward. Why Migrate to Mapbox? Compelling reasons to choose Mapbox GL JS: Official Support & SLAs : Enterprise grade support with guaranteed response times Superior Tile Quality : Best in class vector tiles with global coverage and frequent updates Better Satellite Imagery : High resolution, up to date satellite and aerial imagery Rich Ecosystem : Seamless integration with Mapbox Studio, APIs, and services Advanced Features : Traffic aware routing, turn by turn directions, premium datasets Geocoding & Search : World class address search and place lookup Navigation SDK : Mobile navigation with real time traffic No Tile Infrastructure : No need to host or maintain your own tile servers Regular Updates : Continuous improvements and new features Professional Services : Access to Mapbox solutions team for complex projects Mapbox offers a generous free tier: 50,000 map loads/month, making it suitable for many applications without cost. Quick Comparison Aspect Mapbox GL JS MapLibre GL JS License Proprietary (v2+) BSD 3 Clause (Open Source) Support Official commercial support Community support Tiles Premium Mapbox vector tiles OSM or custom tile sources Satellite High quality global imagery Requires custom source Token Required (access token) Optional (depends on tile source) APIs Full Mapbox ecosystem Requires third party services Studio Full integration No native integration 3D Terrain Built in with premium data Available (requires data source) Globe View v2.9+ v3.0+ API Compatibility ~95% compatible with MapLibre ~95% compatible with Mapbox Bundle Size ~500KB ~450KB Setup Complexity Easy (just add token) Requires tile source setup Step by Step Migration 1. Create Mapbox Account 1. Sign up at [mapbox.com](https://mapbox.com) 2. Get your access token from the account dashboard 3. Review pricing: Free tier includes 50,000 map loads/month 4. Note your token (starts with pk. for public tokens) 2. Update Package 3. Update Imports Or with CDN: 4. Add Access Token Token best practices: Use environment variables: process.env.VITE MAPBOX TOKEN or process.env.NEXT PUBLIC MAPBOX TOKEN Add URL restrictions in Mapbox dashboard for security Use public tokens ( pk. ) for client side code Never commit tokens to git (add to .env and .gitignore ) Rotate tokens if compromised See mapbox token security skill for comprehensive token security guidance. 5. Update Map Initialization 6. Update Style URL Mapbox provides professionally designed, maintained styles: Custom styles: You can also create and use custom styles from Mapbox Studio: 7. Update All References Replace all maplibregl references with mapboxgl : 8. Update Plugins (If Used) Some MapLibre plugins should be replaced with Mapbox versions: MapLibre Plugin Mapbox Alternative @maplibre/maplibre gl geocoder @mapbox/mapbox gl geocoder @maplibre/maplibre gl draw @mapbox/mapbox gl draw maplibre gl compare mapbox gl compare Example: 9. Everything Else Stays the Same All your map code, events, layers, and sources work identically: What Changes: Summary Must change: Package name ( maplibre gl mapbox gl ) Import statements Add mapboxgl.accessToken configuration Style URL (switch to mapbox:// styles) Plugin packages (if used) Stays exactly the same: All map methods ( setCenter , setZoom , fitBounds , flyTo , etc.) All event handling ( map.on('click') , map.on('load') , etc.) Marker/Popup APIs (100% compatible) Layer/source APIs (100% compatible) GeoJSON handling Custom styling and expressions Controls (Navigation, Geolocate, Scale, etc.) Common Migration Issues Issue 1: Token Not Set Problem: Solution: Issue 2: Token in Git Problem: Solution: Issue 3: Wrong Style URL Format Problem: Solution: Issue 4: Plugin Compatibility Problem: Solution: Important: This applies to ALL MapLibre plugins, not just the geocoder. Any @maplibre/ or maplibre gl plugin must be replaced with its Mapbox equivalent. Check the Mapbox ecosystem for Mapbox specific versions of every plugin you use (see Step 8 above for the full mapping table). Issue 5: CDN URLs Problem: Solution: Migration Checklist [ ] Create Mapbox account and get access token [ ] Update package : npm install mapbox gl (remove maplibre gl) [ ] Update imports : maplibre gl mapbox gl [ ] Update CSS imports : maplibre gl.css mapbox gl.css [ ] Add token : Set mapboxgl.accessToken = 'pk.xxx' [ ] Use environment variables : Store token in .env [ ] Update style URL : Change to mapbox://styles/mapbox/streets v12 [ ] Update all references : Replace maplibregl. with mapboxgl. [ ] Update plugins : Install Mapbox versions of plugins (if used) [ ] Configure token security : Add URL restrictions in dashboard [ ] Test all functionality : Verify map loads, interactions work [ ] Set up billing alerts : Monitor usage in Mapbox dashboard [ ] Update documentation : Document token setup for team [ ] Add .env to .gitignore : Ensure tokens not committed Quick Reference Key Differences Summary What MapLibre Mapbox Package maplibre gl mapbox gl Import import maplibregl from 'maplibre gl' import mapboxgl from 'mapbox gl' Token Optional (depends on tiles) Required: mapboxgl.accessToken = 'pk.xxx' Style Custom URL or OSM tiles mapbox://styles/mapbox/streets v12 License BSD (Open Source) Proprietary (v2+) Support Community Official commercial support Tiles Requires tile source Premium Mapbox tiles included APIs Third party Full Mapbox API ecosystem API ~95% compatible ~95% compatible Bottom line: Migration is easy because APIs are nearly identical. Main changes are packaging, token setup, and style URLs. The result is access to Mapbox's premium tiles, ecosystem, and support. Integration with Other Skills Related skills: mapbox web integration patterns : Framework specific patterns (React, Vue, Svelte, Angular) mapbox web performance patterns : Performance optimization techniques mapbox token security : Comprehensive token security best practices mapbox google maps migration : Migrate from Google Maps to Mapbox Resources Mapbox GL JS: [Official Documentation](https://docs.mapbox.com/mapbox gl js/) [Example Gallery](https://docs.mapbox.com/mapbox gl js/examples/) [API Reference](https://docs.mapbox.com/mapbox gl js/api/) [GitHub Repository](https://github.com/mapbox/mapbox gl js) [Mapbox Studio](https://studio.mapbox.com/) [Pricing Information](https://www.mapbox.com/pricing/) Migration Support: [Get Started Guide](https://docs.mapbox.com/mapbox gl js/guides/install/) [Style Specification](https://docs.mapbox.com/mapbox gl js/style spec/) [Mapbox Community Support](https://support.mapbox.com/hc/en us/community/topics) Reference Files For detailed information on specific topics, load these reference files: references/api compatibility.md Full list of 100% compatible APIs + side by side migration example references/exclusive features.md Mapbox exclusive features (APIs, Studio, Advanced) + React/Vue framework examples references/why mapbox.md Why Choose Mapbox (Production, Dev Teams, Business) + Performance Comparison

mapbox-maplibre-migration