Lack of deck.gl support in the globe projection view causes flickers/disappearance
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- Dominant language
- TypeScript
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Description
### mapbox-gl-js version
v3.8.0
### Browser and version
Chrome 141.0.7390.108
### Expected behavior
When using deck.gl layers via Mapbox, the layers should not flicker or randomly disappear in the globe view. [Here is a thread in deck.gl describing that issue](https://github.com/visgl/deck.gl/issues/7920)
This is simply because there is a lack of support from Mapbox to fix this. In my point of view as a developer, I view this as a massive bug that Mapbox should address since deck.gl is a library that is used in so many places nowadays for various projects. Mapbox’s continued lack of support here risks pushing developers toward Maplibre and other platforms that are more open to supporting these modern WebGL visualization frameworks. Addressing this would go a long way in maintaining confidence in Mapbox.
Attached is an example thread that demonstrates the problem.
### Actual behavior
Enabling globe view on Mapbox with deck.gl causes layers to flicker rapidly and features of that layer (icons, text, etc.) to disappear on certain zoom levels.
### Link to the demonstration
https://github.com/visgl/deck.gl/issues/7920
### Steps to trigger the unexpected behavior
1. Set the projection parameter to 'globe' from 'mercator' in Mapbox within `react-map-gl`'s `Map` component.
2. Create a globe view in the deck.gl layer and use that as a DeckGLOverlay context that can interleave within Mapbox layers.
3. Observe that layers flicker as demonstrated in the video while changing zoom levels/panning around.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start with the reported globe projection steps in the react-map-gl Map component, including the DeckGLOverlay context and interleaved layers, and compare the behavior with deck.gl issue 7920. Reproduce the flicker while zooming and panning, then trace the Mapbox/deck.gl integration involved. Done means icons, text, and other layer features remain visible without flickering in globe view.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- react, typescript
- Domain
- computer-graphics, frontend, web-dev
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100