Proper way to create tile maps for Leaflet.js?

Question

I am trying to build a custom-designed map, with correct geodata. It could even be an image created in illustrator, but it has to be exported as a set of tiles in correct map format - so that it can be read by tools like Leaflet.js

What confuses me is that none of the available map tools seem to work very well together. I did find Tilemill, which looks very promising (it has a very clean interface and works with CSS), but:

• Openstreetmaps does not allow downloading tile images, only XML data in OSM format.
• Tilemill does not allow importing Openstreetmaps XML data (why!).
• Even if you manage to design a map in Tilemill, you still cannot export tile images, only a proprietary SQL database format? What's the point of that?
• If Tilemill is useless, are there other tools that allow opening OSM XML data and applying your own design styles?

There are some sources that talk about building your own tile server:

This source suggests converting OSM to PostGIS using SQL, and then using a custom python script and a tool named Mapnik. Then it says that it's not recommended to use Mapnik for OSM....

This source sounds promising, but then it casually mentions that you have to build and run your own custom Linux distribution...

Is there a simpler way to create map tiles with correct filenames and folders for Leaflet.js?

Answer 1

Tilemill does not allow importing Openstreetmaps XML data (why!).

OpenStreetMap XML is an interchange format: it's a way to transfer things around, not to use them. You can import it into PostGIS and use it in TileMill.

Even if you manage to design a map in Tilemill, you still cannot export tile images, only a proprietary SQL database format? What's the point of that?

If you export millions of tile images, you'll fill up your hard disk and run out of inodes. It's a bad deal. That's why we made MBTiles, which is not proprietary, but very much open source in every definition of the word, and you can export it to disk with mb-util if you so wish.

If Tilemill is useless, are there other tools that allow opening OSM XML data and applying your own design styles?

TileMill isn't useless, but if you want another option, you can use Maperitive, though it is proprietary in every sense of the word.