# How 45 Map Data Layers Are Managed and Shared Across Five Dashboard Variants in World Monitor > Learn how World Monitor centralizes 45 map data layers and shares them across five dashboard variants using a variant-specific ordering system for efficient runtime filtering. - Repository: [Elie Habib/worldmonitor](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor) - Tags: architecture - Published: 2026-03-09 --- **World Monitor centralizes all 45 map data layers in a single registry and shares them across five dashboard variants through a variant-specific ordering system that filters layers at runtime.** The koala73/worldmonitor repository powers five distinct dashboard views—**full**, **tech**, **finance**, **happy**, and **commodity**—from a single TypeScript codebase. Managing 45 map data layers across these variants requires a centralized architecture that defines each layer once in [`src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts`](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor/blob/main/src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts) and selectively exposes them based on the active dashboard configuration. ## Centralized Layer Registry in map-layer-definitions.ts All 45 layers are declared once in the `LAYER_REGISTRY` constant, which maps each layer key to a comprehensive `LayerDefinition` object. This registry lives in [`src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts`](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor/blob/main/src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts) and contains metadata including the layer key, icon HTML entity, internationalization suffix, fallback label, supported renderers, and an optional premium flag. ```typescript export const LAYER_REGISTRY: Record = { iranAttacks: def('iranAttacks', '🎯', 'iranAttacks', 'Iran Attacks', ['flat','globe'], _desktop ? 'locked' : undefined), hotspots: def('hotspots', '🎯', 'intelHotspots', 'Intel Hotspots', []), // … 44 more definitions }; ``` Each entry specifies which renderers it supports—`flat` for standard web maps or `globe` for the 3-D desktop visualization—ensuring that layers incompatible with the current runtime are automatically excluded. ## Variant-Specific Layer Ordering with VARIANT_LAYER_ORDER While the registry defines *what* layers exist, the `VARIANT_LAYER_ORDER` object determines *which* layers appear on each dashboard and in what sequence. This mapping lives in the same [`src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts`](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor/blob/main/src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts) file and associates each `MapVariant` with an ordered array of layer keys. ```typescript const VARIANT_LAYER_ORDER: Record> = { full: ['iranAttacks','hotspots','conflicts', … 'dayNight'], tech: ['startupHubs','techHQs','accelerators', … 'dayNight'], finance: ['stockExchanges','financialCenters','centralBanks', … 'dayNight'], happy: ['positiveEvents','kindness','happiness', … 'dayNight'], commodity:['commodityHubs','gulfInvestments','miningSites', … 'dayNight'], }; ``` Because both the **full** and **commodity** variants can reference the same underlying layer key (for example, `dayNight`), the actual `LayerDefinition` object is reused rather than duplicated. This architecture ensures that updates to a layer’s data source, icon, or premium status propagate instantly to every dashboard that includes it. ## Runtime Layer Filtering and Helper Functions Three utility functions in [`src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts`](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor/blob/main/src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts) bridge the static configuration with the runtime environment: - **`getLayersForVariant(variant, renderer)`** returns a filtered and ordered array of `LayerDefinition` objects for the requested dashboard, excluding layers that do not support the current renderer (`flat` or `globe`). - **`getAllowedLayerKeys(variant)`** returns a `Set` of layer keys permitted for the variant, used for validation. - **`sanitizeLayersForVariant(layers, variant)`** removes any layer keys that are not part of the variant’s allowed set, preventing runtime errors from stale or manipulated local storage data. ```typescript export function getLayersForVariant(variant: MapVariant, renderer: MapRenderer): LayerDefinition[] { const keys = VARIANT_LAYER_ORDER[variant] ?? VARIANT_LAYER_ORDER.full; return keys .map(k => LAYER_REGISTRY[k]) .filter(d => d.renderers.includes(renderer)); } ``` When the application initializes, it detects whether it is running on desktop (globe renderer) or web/mobile (flat renderer) and passes that value to `getLayersForVariant`, ensuring that users only see layers compatible with their device capabilities. ## Integration with Dashboard Variants The five dashboard variants do not maintain separate layer lists. Instead, each variant configuration file in `src/config/variants/*.ts` (such as [`full.ts`](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor/blob/main/full.ts), [`tech.ts`](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor/blob/main/tech.ts), or [`finance.ts`](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor/blob/main/finance.ts)) contains only metadata—default panels, RSS feeds, and branding—while relying on the central registry for layer definitions. At startup, [`src/main.ts`](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor/blob/main/src/main.ts) imports `SITE_VARIANT` from [`src/config/variant.ts`](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor/blob/main/src/config/variant.ts) to determine which dashboard is being served based on the hostname. It then calls `getLayersForVariant` to build the layer toggle panel and configure the MapLibre or Deck.gl visualization layers. Because the registry in [`src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts`](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor/blob/main/src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts) is the single source of truth, any change to a layer’s data source, icon, or premium status instantly propagates to **all five dashboards** without requiring edits to individual variant files. ## Summary - **Single Source of Truth**: All 45 map data layers are defined once in `LAYER_REGISTRY` inside [`src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts`](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor/blob/main/src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts). - **Variant-Specific Ordering**: `VARIANT_LAYER_ORDER` determines which layers appear and in what sequence for each of the five dashboard types (full, tech, finance, happy, commodity). - **Runtime Filtering**: Helper functions like `getLayersForVariant` and `sanitizeLayersForVariant` ensure layers are compatible with the current renderer (flat or globe) and valid for the active variant. - **Zero Duplication**: Variant configuration files contain only metadata, relying on the central registry for layer definitions, ensuring updates propagate instantly across all dashboards. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How does World Monitor determine which dashboard variant to display? The application detects the variant at runtime using `SITE_VARIANT` imported from [`src/config/variant.ts`](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor/blob/main/src/config/variant.ts), typically based on the hostname of the incoming request. This value drives which layer order configuration is passed to `getLayersForVariant()`, ensuring the correct subset of the 45 layers is presented to the user. ### Can a single layer definition support both flat maps and 3D globes? Yes. Each entry in `LAYER_REGISTRY` specifies supported renderers in its `renderers` array, which can include `'flat'`, `'globe'`, or both. The `getLayersForVariant()` function filters the layer list based on whether `isDesktopRuntime()` indicates a desktop environment (globe) or web/mobile (flat), ensuring incompatible layers are hidden. ### What happens if a user selects a layer not available in their variant? The `sanitizeLayersForVariant()` function validates user selections against the allowed keys for the current variant, as defined by `VARIANT_LAYER_ORDER`. It automatically strips out any layers that are not part of the variant's permitted set, preventing runtime errors and ensuring local storage or URL parameters cannot force invalid layer states. ### How many map data layers are defined in the central registry? The `LAYER_REGISTRY` in [`src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts`](https://github.com/koala73/worldmonitor/blob/main/src/config/map-layer-definitions.ts) defines **45** distinct map data layers. These range from geopolitical event layers like `iranAttacks` and `hotspots` to environmental data like `dayNight`, all shared across the five dashboard variants through the centralized architecture.