> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.carto.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.carto.com/carto-for-developers/key-concepts/carto-for-deck.gl/basemaps/carto-basemap.md).

# CARTO Basemap

The CARTO Basemap is the default Basemap and it is included in all CARTO accounts. Outside a CARTO account, the same basemaps are available with a free [API key](https://carto.com/basemaps/apikey/). It uses the Open Source project [Maplibre GL JS](https://maplibre.org/projects/maplibre-gl-js/) and CARTO base maps API.

{% hint style="info" %}
**API keys.** Basemaps used inside the CARTO platform — Builder and Workflows — need no extra setup. Calling the basemap endpoints at `basemaps.cartocdn.com` **directly** requires an API key, available at [carto.com/basemaps/apikey](https://carto.com/basemaps/apikey/): free for non-commercial use up to 5 million tile requests a month and for commercial use up to 1 million; above that, a Basemaps Commercial plan (see [pricing](https://carto.com/basemaps/apikey/#pricing)). CARTO customers need to buy nothing: basemaps are included in every CARTO plan. See the [basemaps FAQ](/faqs/carto-basemaps.md).
{% endhint %}

At the [Basemaps section](/carto-for-developers/key-concepts/carto-for-deck.gl/basemaps.md) of CARTO for deck.gl you can find further information about how to use it. CARTO also provides a set of [Basemaps Styles](https://carto.com/basemaps/#styles) to easily adapt to multiple visualization contexts (dark, light, and voyager).

A code example is available in the guide [Build a public application](/carto-for-developers/guides/build-a-public-application.md#adding-a-basemap).

### Further style customization

If you don't need to change a style, use its URL directly with your key, for example `https://basemaps.cartocdn.com/gl/positron-gl-style/style.json?key=YOUR_KEY`. You can also host a copy of it as is, but its tile, `glyphs` and `sprite` URLs (under `/v/<release>/`) are dynamic and change, so a hosted copy can break at any time; to stay current, use our style URL with `?key=`.

If the Basemaps Styles provided by CARTO are not enough and you need to go further to customize those styles you can do the following:

1. Download the style json as a reference, to compare and see how we build it. `https://basemaps.cartocdn.com/gl/positron-gl-style/style.json`
2. Modify the styles to match your requirements. Your style uses your own glyphs (fonts) and sprite (icons); only its vector source points to our TileJSON, which always serves the current tiles: `"url": "https://tiles.basemaps.cartocdn.com/vector/carto.streets/v2/tiles.json?key=YOUR_KEY"`. Don't keep the tile, `glyphs` and `sprite` URLs of the downloaded file: they are dynamic and change.
3. Put it in a public url.
4. Pass to deck.gl the mapStyle you want to use:

```javascript
 const deckgl = new deck.DeckGL({
  ...
  map: maplibregl,
  mapStyle: '<your styles json url>',
 });
```

If you need a UI to modify the styles, take a look at [Maputnik](https://maputnik.github.io/editor/) (A free and open visual editor tool for editing Basemaps styles).


---

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