---

name: alternate-backends description: "Routes leafmap users to optional backend choices such as kepler, plotly, bokeh, pydeck, deck.gl, HERE, and mapbox when the default notebook maps are not the best fit." disable-model-invocation: true metadata: disco-role: operating license: MIT

Alternate Backends

Purpose

Use this sub-skill when the user is asking which non-default leafmap backend to use or how to handle a backend-specific import or capability question.

Read this when

• The user mentions kepler, plotly, bokeh, pydeck, deck.gl, HERE, or mapbox.
• The user wants a 3D or browser-hosted map and the default ipyleaflet/folium route is not ideal.
• The user needs to know whether an optional backend is installed, missing, or unsupported in the current environment.

What this sub-skill owns

• Backend selection guidance for leafmap.kepler, leafmap.plotlymap, leafmap.bokehmap, leafmap.deck, leafmap.deckgl, leafmap.heremap, and leafmap.mapbox.
• Dependency caveats, backend-specific limitations, and missing-backend troubleshooting.

What this sub-skill does not own

• Default ipyleaflet/folium map composition.
• STAC / OSM / Planetary Computer / fire / Terrascope data helpers.
• MapLibre viewer and CLI details.

First place to look

• references/backends.md for the selection matrix.
• references/troubleshooting.md for missing-package, API-key, and compatibility failures.
• ../../scripts/check_leafmap_smoke.py --mode optional for a quick import-sanity check.

How to route a request

• Use this sub-skill when the user is trying to choose a backend or recover from a backend-specific ImportError.
• If the user only needs the best default map workflow, route them to interactive-maps instead.
• If the user actually wants a standalone viewer or CLI command, route them to maplibre-viewers.

Typical workflow

1. Identify the requested visual style or backend name.
2. Check whether the backend is installed and whether it needs a special key or widget stack.
3. Prefer a verified backend over forcing an optional one into place.
4. If the backend is missing, explain the shortest safe install or the best fallback.