React Google Maps How to use the Google Maps API with React.js
jessicabetts
Updated on
・3 min read
While trying to implement the google maps API in a personal react.js project I came across a couple of examples that I found to be very complicated and confusing. So here is a brief and simple example of how I used Google Maps in my app!
First, things first!
Go to the Google maps API page, sign-up and get a token to use! You must enter a credit card number to receive your token. However, Google claims they will not charge your account without you personally upgrading your service. Proceed at your own discretion.
Once you have an API key you can start building your app!
Create your react app
npm init react-app my-app
Install dependencies
npm install --save google-maps-react
This is how we get the google map as a component!
Check your package.json file to make sure it is installed!
Once your initial set up is done you can start coding!
1. Import google-maps-react!
import { Map, GoogleApiWrapper } from 'google-maps-react';
2. Add the Map Component to your render function!
render() {
return (
<Map
google={this.props.google}
zoom={8}
style={mapStyles}
initialCenter={{ lat: 47.444, lng: -122.176}}
/>
);
}
3. Edit your export default statement
export default GoogleApiWrapper({
apiKey: 'TOKEN HERE'
})(MapContainer);
Make sure to insert your API key here!
4. Add styling
If you'd like you can change some style properties. I did as a constant variable outside of my class.
const mapStyles = {
width: '100%',
height: '100%',
};
5. Spin up your server!
Great! You did it! But honestly, what is the point of a map without any markers! So let's add some!
6. Mark it up!
import { Map, GoogleApiWrapper, Marker } from 'google-maps-react';
Update your Map component to include a Marker Component!
render() {
return (
<Map
google={this.props.google}
zoom={8}
style={mapStyles}
initialCenter={{ lat: 47.444, lng: -122.176}}
>
<Marker position={{ lat: 48.00, lng: -122.00}} />
</Map>
);
}
Then you'll have this!
Let's add more!
Instead of adding one marker, you can programmatically loop through the state to display places. In my example, I am displaying a few thrift stores in the area. You can also add events to them such as onClick!
export class MapContainer extends Component {
constructor(props) {
super(props);
this.state = {
stores: [{lat: 47.49855629475769, lng: -122.14184416996333},
{latitude: 47.359423, longitude: -122.021071},
{latitude: 47.2052192687988, longitude: -121.988426208496},
{latitude: 47.6307081, longitude: -122.1434325},
{latitude: 47.3084488, longitude: -122.2140121},
{latitude: 47.5524695, longitude: -122.0425407}]
}
}
displayMarkers = () => {
return this.state.stores.map((store, index) => {
return <Marker key={index} id={index} position={{
lat: store.latitude,
lng: store.longitude
}}
onClick={() => console.log("You clicked me!")} />
})
}
render() {
return (
<Map
google={this.props.google}
zoom={8}
style={mapStyles}
initialCenter={{ lat: 47.444, lng: -122.176}}
>
{this.displayMarkers()}
</Map>
);
}
}
And that's all folks!
I hope this tutorial helps in building your own app!
Posted on by:
jessicabetts
Just a junior dev & karaoke enthusiast who wants to sing the Code Monkey song!
Discussion
Thanks a lot for this!
I had to do a little research for the styling since I wanted to use their custom json style files.
A little tip for those who want to do this too : save it as a defaultProps and they use it as shown above ;)
Hey ! Can you tell me more about this ? Where do you pass defaultProps ?
Here is a link to the file I used it in, it will help you out I think : github.com/titivermeesch/neighbora...
Thanks a lot, it helped me !
Le Bonjour à la Belgique :)
Thanks a lot. It's very easy to follow and implement.
Glad I can help!
Hey! Thanks a lot for the Maps implementation.
I was wondering how Polygon can be used from google-maps-react to mark a triangle on the map using 3 lat and long coordinates. could you please help me out with that?
thanks in advance :)
Is it possible to use legends on it.
Not sure! Never tried!
Awesome.
Thank you!
Very well done! Thanks for sharing.
Nicely done! Very clear and to the ponit.
Thank you!
Thanks for it.
Great tutorial, thank you!
thanks
hey, can someone please help me to highlight the marker on click event outside the map? thanks in advance.
I am trying to implement the solution you have above, just with custom markers that are my own react components. Can anyone suggest or point me towards something I can follow?
how to implement MarkerClusterer in react
export default GoogleApiWrapper({
apiKey: 'TOKEN HERE'
})(MapContainer);
Where can i find this file? do i have to create one myself?
What is the content of this.props.google ?
If you are unsure about what export default is I'd read this:
stackoverflow.com/questions/364265...
Hey, thanks a lot for this post. But, How to set the maps to become 'position:relative' to my custom div? Cause it's kinda frustrating because it is by default 'position: absolute'. Thanks again!
Add a container around it. Set the container around it to position relative and 100% width, height.
div:first-of-type {
position: relative;
width: 100%;
height: 100%;
}
hello, excuse me I did everything perfectly but there is still a JavaScript console problem even though I have a JavaScript API key in place. Can you please help
how can i add an InfoWindow
Check the docs here npmjs.com/package/react-google-maps
Hey Jessica, thanks for the tutorial. You've quite a lot here.
By any chance have you ever tried configuring autocomplete/places with the markers using google maps react ?
please write about google address auto suggestion fill form filed in react
Peace .. thank you .. that helps me a lot in 2020
Hi my marker class doesn't show on the map. It's rendered but it isnt appearing on the map. Should I be rendering the marker component inside of the map component?
If you observe step 6, the Marker Component is inside the Map Component.