Load a vector (WFS) or raster (WCS) layer from GeoServer — get_geoserver

This function retrieves a GeoServer WFS (Web Feature Service) vector layer as an sf object. It assumes the GeoServer layer is served in GeoJSON format.

Usage

get_geoserver_layer(
  layer_name,
  workspace = "Columbia",
  base_url = "https://geoserver.megaloptera-data.com/geoserver",
  raster = FALSE
)

Arguments

layer_name: Name of the layer (without workspace prefix)
workspace: Workspace name (default: "Columbia")
base_url: Base WFS URL (default: Columbia GeoServer endpoint)
raster: Logical indicating whether to return raster data (TRUE) or vector data (FALSE). Default is FALSE.

Value

An sf object representing the requested vector layer, or NULL with a warning if the request fails.

GeoServer Protocol Comparison

Protocol	Full Name	Purpose	Typical Data	Access with
WFS	Web Feature Service	Retrieve vector features + attributes	Shapefiles, GeoJSON	`sf::st_read()`
WMS	Web Map Service	Display map tiles (no analysis)	Rendered image tiles	`leaflet::addWMSTiles()`
WCS	Web Coverage Service	Access raster data for analysis	GeoTIFF, NetCDF, imagery	`terra::rast()`

Use this function when you need vector data for analysis. For raster datasets (e.g., USDA cropland,lidar), use a WCS endpoint and the terra package.

Examples

if (FALSE) { # \dontrun{
  get_geoserver_layer("all_columbia_huc_12s")
} # }