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Geometries

In Akuko, Geometries are spatial entities that add a powerful dimension to your data storytelling. Geometries are generated from the data within a Source and can represent a wide range of spatial features, from points to polygons. This feature allows you to create interactive maps, perform spatial analysis, and enrich your data stories with location-based insights.

Understanding Geometries​

Geometries in Akuko serve as the spatial foundation for your data. They can be constructed from one or more dimensions within your Source. For example, you can create a Point Geometry by combining latitude and longitude dimensions, representing specific geographic coordinates.

Beyond basic geometries, you can also perform spatial joins within Akuko. This means you can associate data in your Source with external Geometries. For instance, you can join a country_code dimension against a Countries Geometry that contains properties with matching IDs. This allows you to overlay your data onto maps, perform territorial analyses, and create engaging spatial visualizations.

Working with Geometries​

Defining Geometries​

Open a Source, expand the Geometries panel and choose Add geometry. Every Geometry starts with the same two fields, and then asks for whatever its type needs:

  • Name: a human-readable name for this Geometry. It is what you and your team will see when picking the Geometry elsewhere in Akuko.

  • Geometry Type: one of four options — Latitude / Longitude, Join, Column or PMTiles.

When the form is complete, choose Save. Akuko then generates the Geometry, showing its progress as it goes; the finished Geometry gets an Id you can see at the top of the form.

Latitude / Longitude​

Builds point geometries from two numeric columns. Two pickers appear, both listing the Source's dimensions:

  • Latitude: the dimension holding the latitude value.
  • Longitude: the dimension holding the longitude value.

Both are required. They are what the points are built from, so set them before saving.

Join​

Matches each row in this Source against an existing Geometry somewhere else in Akuko.

  • Geometry: choose Select Geometry to open a picker listing every Geometry you can reach, under My Geometries and Public Geometries tabs, with a search box.

  • Source Join: the dimension in this Source that holds the matching value — a country code, a district name, a facility ID.

  • Target Join: the property on the Geometry you selected that holds the same value.

Both join pickers are required — together they are how Akuko knows which shape belongs to which row.

Column​

For data that already carries its geometry in a column. A Column picker lists the Source's dimensions; choose the one holding the geometry values.

PMTiles​

For an existing tileset rather than one Akuko generates. An Input Type picker offers two ways in:

  • Upload file: upload a .pmtiles file.

  • Hosted file: point Akuko at a tile server. This asks for the MVT Tiles Url (the root path — for tiles served at https://example.com/tilename/{z}/{x}/{y}.mvt, enter https://example.com/tilename), the Layer name, and a Max Zoom and Min Zoom.

PMTiles Geometries skip the Properties, Set Feature State and Advanced settings fields described below — the tileset already carries its own contents.

Properties​

Properties is a multi-select controlling which values travel with each feature, so they can be used for labels, tooltips and styling on a map. It offers this Source's dimensions and its measures, plus the dimensions of the Geometry you joined to, if any.

You do not need to add the columns that define the Geometry itself — Akuko includes the latitude and longitude, the join column, or the geometry column automatically.

Set Feature State​

A switch, shown for a generated Geometry with fewer than 6,000 features.

Turn it on for a Join or Latitude / Longitude Geometry whose map layer will carry filters: Akuko then draws that layer as GeoJSON rather than as vector tiles, so filtering applies to the shapes themselves. Leave it off otherwise — drawing a layer as GeoJSON is the heavier of the two paths, and nothing else depends on the setting.

Advanced settings​

A collapsed section holding three optional fields:

  • Grouped fields and Grouped values: group properties so a map layer can be filtered by them — by month or year, for example. Both offer the Source's dimensions and measures.

  • Tile Generation: tippecanoe options, added as tags, for controlling how the vector tiles are built.

caution

Deleting a Geometry from the Geometries panel happens immediately — there is no confirmation step.

note

GeoJSON and GeoParquet Sources arrive with a Geometry already built from the file itself. It has no Geometry Type picker and its name is fixed, because there is nothing to derive — the shapes came with the data. You can still adjust its Advanced settings.

tip

See our guide for Extracting Latitude and Longitude from a Point column

tip

See our guide for Extracting Latitude and Longitude from an array column

Add Geometries as Layers​

Once you've created a Geometry within a Source, you can seamlessly integrate it into your data stories. Geometries can be added as Layers within the Map component of your Posts. This powerful capability allows you to overlay spatial data onto your maps, providing interactive and dynamic spatial visualizations to your audience.