The API picker lists the most common things you may want to do on a map or with location-based data, and suggests the API that best suits your needs. For details about each API, follow the links to the related documentation.
What do you want to do?
Useful APIs:
Add a map to an Android app.Optionally support map gestures for tilt, rotate, zoom and pan, with
full control over the map's 3D camera.
Add a map to an iOS app.Optionally support map gestures for tilt, rotate, zoom and pan, with
full control over the map's 3D camera.
Add a map to a web page.Customize the map with your own data and imagery. Optionally
support map controls, as well as gestures on the mobile web.
Add a map to a web pagevia a simple HTTP request consisting of just a URL and
parameters. Useful in blogs and other places where you can't add
<script>
tags. Add a Local Context map to a web
page.The Local Context map is a simple and
flexible UI widget that shows users key places of interest near a
location that you specify. The Local Context Library
consists of an interactive map with a side panel containing a place
chooser consisting of a gallery of photos. You can filter the list
of places based on type, provide driving directions, and customize the
visual appearance of the widget.
Draw a routeon a map.
- Polylines in the Maps SDK for Android
- Polylines in the Maps SDK for iOS
- Polylines in the Maps JavaScript API
- Paths in the Maps Static API
Draw a routebetween two or more
specified points on the map showing the distance and travel time,
using various forms of transport: walking, driving, cycling, public
transit, and flying.
Get directions datafrom origin to
destination using various forms of transport: walking, driving,
cycling, public transit.
- Directions service in the Maps JavaScript API ( examples )
- Routes API - Compute Routes (web service)
- Directions API (Legacy) (web service)
Visualize features and arbitrary dataon a
map.
- GeoJSON utility for the Maps SDK for Android
- Data layer in the Maps JavaScript API ( examples )
Use a heatmapto visualize the intensity of
data at geographical points, using graded colors. Examples of such
data include population density, temperature, traffic congestion, and
more.
- Heatmap utility in the Maps SDK for Android Utility Library
- Heatmap layer in the Maps JavaScript API ( example )
Visualize KMLdata on a map.
- KML layer in the Maps JavaScript API ( examples )
- KML utility for the Maps SDK for Android
Draw polygons, rectangles, polylines, circles,
markers, and info windows (popups)on a map.
- Maps SDK for Android
- Maps SDK for iOS
- Overlays in the Maps JavaScript API ( examples )
Provide a graphical interface with tools for
usersto draw on the map.
- Drawing library in the Maps JavaScript API ( example )
Build immersive, customized map visualizationsrendered using
Google's 3D, 2D, and Street View imagery.
Create and display aerial view videosrendered using
Google's 3D geospatial imagery.
Add an image to a map, as an overlay at a
specified location.
- Maps SDK for Android
- Maps SDK for iOS
- Ground overlays in the Maps JavaScript API ( example )
- Custom overlays in the Maps JavaScript API ( example )
Add interactive Street View panoramasto
your application, set the location of the panorama, manipulate
the Street View camera (point of view), and more.
- Maps SDK for Android
- Maps SDK for iOS
- Street View service in the Maps JavaScript API ( examples )
- Maps Embed API
Display a static Street View panorama.
Perform spherical geometry computationsto
calculate angles, heading, distances and areas, from latitudes and
longitudes.
- Spherical geometry utility in the Maps SDK for Android Utility Library
- Geometry library in the Maps JavaScript API ( examples )
Encode a sequence of latitude/longitude
coordinates(LatLngs) into an encoded path string, and decode an
encoded path string into a sequence of LatLngs.
- Polyline utility in the Maps SDK for Android Utility Library
- Geometry library in the Maps JavaScript API
Open the Google Maps appon iOS, Android, or
web, via a URL. This is a handy way to launch Google Maps
from an app, an email message, or a web page. For example, launch
the Maps app with a directions request, to give your users access to
turn-by-turn navigation.
Customize the look of a map.
- Maps SDK for Android
- Maps SDK for iOS
- Styles in the Maps JavaScript API ( example )
- Maps Static API
Use vector-based imagesto add predefined
and custom shapes to markers and polylines on a map, using SVG path
notation. Examples of such shapes are arrows, dashed lines, custom
paths and symbols animated along a path.
Show public transport routeson a map.
- Transit layer in the Maps JavaScript API ( example )
Show cycle routeson a map.
- Bicycle layer in the Maps JavaScript API ( example )
Show current traffic conditionson a map.
- Traffic layer in the Maps JavaScript API ( example )
Find the latitude/longitude coordinates for a
given address ( geocoding), or convert the latitude/longitude
coordinates of a geographic location to an address ( reverse
geocoding).
- Geocoding service in the Maps JavaScript API ( examples )
- Geocoding API (web service)
- Places API (web service)
Find the maximum zoom level for satellite
imageryat a specific location.
- Google Maximum Zoom Imagery service in the Maps JavaScript API ( example )
Find nearby businesses and other places, or
search for placesby place type or with a query string.
- Places library in the Maps JavaScript API ( examples )
- Places API (web service)
Get the name, address, opening hours, and other
details of a place, including customer ratings and reviews.
- Places library in the Maps JavaScript API ( example )
- Places API (web service)
Get the density and distribution of places in a specific area.
- Places Aggregate API (web service)
Add the type-ahead search behavior of the
Google Maps search fieldto your app.
- Place Autocomplete in the Places SDK for Android
- Place Autocomplete in the Places SDK for iOS
- Place Autocomplete widget in the Maps JavaScript API ( example )
- Place Autocomplete in the Places API (web service)
Autofill an address form.
- Place Autocomplete in the Places SDK for Android
- Place Autocomplete in the Places SDK for iOS
- Place Autocomplete widget in the Maps JavaScript API ( example )
- Place Autocomplete in the Places API (web service)
Assess whether an address is likely to exist in the real world.
Provide extensive details about places: names and addresss, their latitude/longitude coordinates, the place types (night club, store, museum), and more.
Find photos of businesses and other points of
interest, sourced from the Places and Google+ databases.
- Place Photos in the Places SDK for Android
- Photos service in the Places API (web service)
Display search results for the visible region on
a map, including nearby businesses and other places.
Get a location and accuracy radius based on
information about cell towers and WiFi nodesthat a mobile
client can detect. Useful when GPS is not available, for example.
- Geolocation API (web service)
Get businesses or other places where the device
is currently located.
- Current Place in the Places SDK for Android
- Current Place in the Places SDK for iOS
Display a fixed image of a map, and
optionally add markers, polygons, rectangles, polylines, circles and
customized styling. This is useful, for example, if you don't need an
interactive map and want to optimize performance and size.
Calculate the travel distance and travel time
for multiple origins and destinations, optionally specifying
various forms of transport: walking, driving, cycling.
- Distance Matrix service in the Maps JavaScript API ( example )
- Routes API - Compute Route Matrix (web service)
- Distance Matrix API (Legacy) (web service)
Find height above sea level and depth of
locations on the ocean floor.
- Elevation service in the Maps JavaScript API ( examples )
- Elevation API (web service)
Find the time zone name, time offset data and
daylight saving timefor a location.
- Time Zone API (web service)
Determine the speed limit for a section of
road.
- Roads API (web service)
Determine the roads on which a vehicle
traveled.Snap a set of GPS coordinates to the most likely road the vehicle was
traveling, or find the nearest road segments.
- Roads API (web service)
Request environmental data about a location.Request air quality and solar data.
- Air Quality API (web service)
- Solar API (web service)
Request pollen data for a specific location.Use the Pollen API to get pollen information including types, plants, and indexes for a specific location in over 65 countries.
- Pollen API (web service)
Request air quality data for a specific location.Request data for more than 70 air quality indexes, pollutants, and health recommendations from over
100 countries.
- Air Quality API (web service)
Request weather data for a specific location.Request current weather conditions, hourly and daily forecasts, and hourly weather history for locations across the globe.
- Weather API (web service)
Request information on the solar potential of over 350 million
buildings.Access detailed rooftop data based on Google's expansive mapping
and computing resources to help estimate renewable rooftop solar energy
potential and savings.
- Solar API (web service)
Upload geospatial data to the Google Cloud Console.Store and manage your geospatial data in the Google Cloud Console to use it with
data-driven styling.
- Maps Datasets API (web service)
Add turn-by-turn navigation to your app.Build dynamic navigation experiences for your mobile apps.