Web feature layers support vector querying, visualization, and editing. They are appropriate for visualizing data on top of a basemap and can be used as inputs for analysis and in sync-based workflows.
Web feature layers are shared in the following circumstances:
- You share a web layer that includes feature data. To learn more, see Prepare data to publish a feature service.
- You share a web map or share a web scene that includes feature data.
- You share a web scene layer or vector tile layer that has an associated web feature layer.
- You share a map image layer and choose to share a web feature layer with it.
Note:
If you share a map image layer to ArcGIS Enterprise that references registered data, you can choose to share a web feature layer in addition. If you configure the Enable Sync option for the web feature layer, see Prepare data for use in offline feature services.
Sharing a web feature layer that references registered data to ArcGIS Enterprise requires the privilege to publish server-based layers. Sharing a web feature layer that copies all data to ArcGIS Enterprise or sharing to ArcGIS Online requires the privilege to publish hosted feature layers.
While in the process of sharing a web feature layer, you may decide to save a service definition instead. A service definition compiles information into a single file, allowing you to share the web feature layer at a later time. Information about saving a service definition is included in the workflow below. To learn more, see Introduction to saving service definitions.
Share a web feature layer using the default configuration
This workflow explains how to share a web feature layer with default settings. To change the default configuration, see Configure a web feature layer. You can also use ArcPy to share a web feature layer to a portal. To learn more, see Introduction to arcpy.sharing.
- To share a web feature layer, do one of the following:
- Share all usable layers in the map as a web layer. On the Share tab, in the Share As group, click the Web Layer drop-down arrow and click Publish Web Layer
. - Share selected layers in the map as a web layer. Select the layers in the Contents pane. Right-click any selected layer, point to Sharing, and
click Share As Web Layer .
The Share As Web Layer pane appears.
- Share all usable layers in the map as a web layer. On the Share tab, in the Share As group, click the Web Layer drop-down arrow and click Publish Web Layer
- Provide a name for the web layer.
- Optionally, complete the Summary and Tags fields.
A summary and tags are required when sharing to an ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9 or earlier portal.
You can enter a maximum of 128 tags.
- If your active portal is ArcGIS Online, for Layer Type, click Feature.
If your active portal is an ArcGIS Enterprise portal and you want to reference datasets in a registered enterprise database, confirm that Map Image is selected under Reference registered data. Check the Feature check box to share the web feature layer as a dependent layer to the map image layer.
If you are publishing data from a cloud data warehouse to an ArcGIS Enterprise 11.0 or later portal, an additional Feature option may be available in the pane. The read-only web feature layer references registered data and is published to the hosting server.
Note:
Only data from Google BigQuery is supported.
If you choose Feature under Copy all data instead, all layers are copied to the hosting server's managed database.
- Under Location, use the Folder menu to choose a folder in your portal content in which to store the web layer. Optionally, create a folder.
By default, the web layer is stored at the root level of your portal content.
Tip:
Click the Browse button
to browse to a folder in your portal content. You can also type a folder name in the text box. - Use the Server and Folder drop-down menus to specify the federated server where the service is published and the folder where it is stored. Optionally, create a folder.
By default, the service is stored in the root folder of the server.
Note:
The Server and Folder options appear only if you are sharing a web feature layer that references registered data to ArcGIS Enterprise. In this case, you can also click the Data Stores button
to open the Manage Registered Data Stores pane. Use this pane to register geodatabases and folders with federated servers. - Under Share with, specify how the web layer will be shared:
- Everyone—Share your content with the public. Anyone can access and see it.
- My Organization—Share your content with all authenticated users in the organization. This option is available when you are signed in with an organizational account.
- Groups—Share your content with groups to which you belong and their members.
Leave all options unchecked to set the sharing level to the owner of the item.
- Click the Content tab to view the new web layer or layers and all associated components.
- Under Finish Sharing, click Analyze
to review for potential problems. Errors and warnings are listed on the Messages tab. Right-click a message to open its help topic or take corrective action in the software. Errors
must be resolved before you can share your GIS resource. Resolving warnings 
is recommended but not required. - After you have resolved errors, and optionally, resolved warnings, click Publish
to share the web layer. To save a service definition for the web layer instead, click the Publish drop-down arrow and click Save As SD. To learn more, see Save a service definition for a web layer.
- Optionally, click Jobs
to monitor the job status. - Once the web layer has been successfully published, click the Manage the web layer link to manage the web feature layer through your portal.
Note:
If you shared a web feature layer that references registered data, click the Manage the web layer link to go to the map image layer.Considerations when sharing to older portals
Although web feature layers can be shared to any portal, not all functionality is supported when sharing to each version of ArcGIS Enterprise and Portal for ArcGIS. Listed below are limitations when sharing to older versions.
ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 and earlier
- Sharing query layers from cloud data warehouses is not supported.
ArcGIS Enterprise 10.8.1 and earlier
- The Approve for Public Data Collection option is not available.
ArcGIS Enterprise 10.8 and earlier
- The Include topology layer option is not available.
- Sync Options are not available.
ArcGIS Enterprise 10.7.1 and earlier
- Preserve editor tracking information is not available.
ArcGIS Enterprise 10.6.1 and earlier
- Sharing dimension layers as web feature layers is not supported.
ArcGIS Enterprise 10.5.1 and earlier
- Sharing annotation layers as web feature layers is not supported.
ArcGIS Enterprise 10.5 and earlier
- The Time zone option is not available when sharing web feature layers that copy all data.
Portal for ArcGIS 10.4.1 and earlier
- The WFS layer is not available.
Portal for ArcGIS 10.3.1 and earlier
- The data options are not available. Data is always copied to the server.
- The Update feature attributes only editing option is not available.