Maps & Geolocation

Overview

Build location-based applications using mapping and geolocation APIs. This skill covers four major platforms — Google Maps Platform, Mapbox, Leaflet (open-source), and OpenStreetMap/Nominatim (free) — for geocoding, routing, interactive maps, geofencing, heatmaps, store locators, fleet tracking, and address autocomplete. Choose based on budget: Google Maps for full-featured commercial use, Mapbox for custom styling, Leaflet+OSM for zero-cost self-hosted solutions.

Instructions

Step 1: Platform Selection & Setup

Google Maps Platform (billing account required; since March 2025 the flat $200 credit is replaced by a free monthly allowance per SKU, about 10,000 calls for Essentials SKUs such as Geocoding, 5,000 for Pro, 1,000 for Enterprise; check the pricing page for your SKUs):

# Enable in the Cloud console: Maps JavaScript API, Geocoding API, Routes API, Places API (New)
export GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY="AIzaSyD-example-restrict-this-key"

Directions API, Distance Matrix API and the old Places API are marked Legacy; use the Routes API (Step 4) for new projects. Restrict the key (HTTP referrers for browser keys, IP addresses or API restrictions for server keys).