Google Maps has saved the lives of lost people everywhere since its inception Release in 2005. Over a billion people use Google Maps every month, and there are over 5 million active users every week. So being able to place a map in your own app can be a huge advantage.
This is exactly what the Maps SDK allows you to do.
How does the Maps SDK work?
Maps SDK is a Application programming interface (API). It is a software intermediary. For all those who are not tech savvy, this means that the program has been designed to run two or more different software applications together.
Think of it as a child custody deal between two stubborn parents. The API dictates what data can be shared, how the data is shared and in what format the data should be, as well as instructions on any other way the programs interact with each other.
You might wonder why an API is important. This question gets answered when you think of two different but complementary apps or services. Let’s say the first app is a music streaming service, like Hulu, and the second is a streaming service like Fire or Apple TV.
To use the service, the application must provide certain information to Amazon (Fire TV) and vice versa. But sometimes they just aren’t compatible with the device you’re streaming to. For example, with Amazon, you can stream Hulu to several of its devices, but you can’t on the regular Echo Dot (using it as a Bluetooth speaker is a topic for another day).
This is where the API comes in. It will tell both programs if it’s compatible and can be used without programmers having to create new code for compatibility.
That’s what the Maps SDK is for: the convenience of placing a map in your separate app while using data from Google Maps.
According to Google, “You can also use API calls to add markers, polygons, and overlays to a base map and to change the user’s view of a particular map area. These objects provide additional information about them. map locations and allow the user to interact with the map. ”Essentially, Map SDK also allows you to add various graphics to a map.
How do I get started with the Google Maps SDK?
There are a few things you need to do before you can use the Maps SDK in your app.
First of all you need to familiarize yourself with Android / iOS development and object oriented programming concepts, as well as familiarity with Google Maps as a user. If you or your team are good with these, just move on to the next prerequisite; if not, it looks like you have some schooling or networking to do.
The first real step is to make sure you have the Android Studio downloaded and installed as it is the recommended development environment for Maps SDK on Android. You will also need to have a billing account on the Google platform.
Once you have done this you will then need to add Google play services Android Studio. Start by opening Android Studio. Then click on Tools and select the SDK Manager. You’ll want to make sure that the box next to this is checked.
Create a project
Next, you will need to create a Google Maps project. This part has its own sub-steps; First of all, you will need to launch Android Studio. Second, in the Welcome to Android Studio area, click Start a new Android Studio project. You can also click on File in the menu bar, then on New and finally on New project.
Now that the “Choose Your Project” dialog box is open, you can choose the tab corresponding to the platform you are developing for. The default is Phone and Tablet. The next mini-step is to select Google Maps Activity and then click Next. The last step in create a project means “add your app name, package name and project location, programming language, and minimum Android API level supported by your app, then click Finish.”
Now that you have your new project, you need to get a Google Maps API key. There are three ways to get the API key “the quick and easy way” the “medium a little slower, “And if they don’t work, you can follow”the complete process to obtain an API key. “
Once you have the API key, it’s time to look at some code to make sure it contains the specific code you’re looking for in the template. In particular, you will need to look in the XML layout file and the maps activity java file, which are located in res / layout / activity_maps.xml and MapsActivity.java respectively.
Link your Android
The next step is to connect an Android device so that you can see how your app is performing in real time. This can be done by simply connecting any Android device to your computer after you have developer enabled options on the device. If you don’t have an Android device or don’t want to connect one, you can also use an Android simulator to run the app, although you’ll need to make sure it emulates Android 4.2.2 or higher as well. than a few other settings. . So we recommend that you just connect an Android device.
The last – and most exciting – step is to build and run your app. Once you have verified that you are satisfied with the code, all you have to do is click on the Run menu option in Android Studio and when prompted, select the device connected to the computer and click on OK, your application will be created and your results will be displayed on the device.
Checklist for opening the Google Maps SDK
While longer directions are great, it can be helpful to have a quick checklist to guide you. If you have any questions about tracking, just go back to the previous section and follow the step-by-step instructions and links.
- Download Android Studio.
- Install the Google Play service.
- Create a new Google Maps project.
- File> New> New project
- Select the tab corresponding to the platform for which you developed the application.
- Select the Google Maps activity
- Enter the relevant information about the application
- Obtain a Google Maps API key.
- Look at the code to verify that it is correct.
- Connect an Android device to your computer.
- Create and run the application.
Final thoughts
The Google Maps SDK is a must have API for an app developer who wants to include an interactive map in their app which is back thanks to the power of Google Maps.