GoogleMaps Framework Reference

AI-generated Key Takeaways

• The Google Maps SDK for iOS provides classes for displaying and interacting with maps, including features like markers, polygons, and polylines.

• Core map classes like GMSMapView and GMSCameraPosition handle map display, camera control, and user interaction.

• Overlays such as GMSMarker, GMSCircle, and GMSPolygon enable the addition of visual elements to the map.

• Indoor maps and Street View panoramas are supported through classes like GMSIndoorBuilding and GMSPanoramaView.

• Feature layers and styling options allow for customization of the map's appearance using classes like GMSFeatureLayer and GMSFeatureStyle.

Classes

The following classes are available globally.

• GMSAddress

  A result from a reverse geocode request, containing a human-readable address. This class is immutable and should not be instantiated directly unless under testing circumstances. Obtain an instance via GMSGeocoder.

  Some of the fields may be nil, indicating they are not present.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSAddress : NSObject, NSCopying, NSSecureCoding

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSAddress : NSObject <NSCopying, NSSecureCoding>

• GMSAdvancedMarker

  An advanced marker is an icon placed at a particular point on the map’s surface.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSAdvancedMarker : GMSMarker

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSAdvancedMarker : GMSMarker

• GMSCALayer

  GMSCALayer is a superclass used by layers in the Google Maps SDK for iOS, such as GMSMapLayer and GMSPanoramaLayer.

  This is an implementation detail and it should not be instantiated directly.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSCALayer : CALayer

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSCALayer : CALayer

• GMSCameraPosition

  An immutable class that aggregates all camera position parameters.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSCameraPosition : NSObject, NSCopying, NSMutableCopying

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSCameraPosition : NSObject <NSCopying, NSMutableCopying>

• GMSMutableCameraPosition

  Mutable version of GMSCameraPosition.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSMutableCameraPosition : GMSCameraPosition

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSMutableCameraPosition : GMSCameraPosition

• GMSCameraUpdate

  GMSCameraUpdate represents an update that may be applied to a GMSMapView.

  It encapsulates some logic for modifying the current camera.

  It should only be constructed using the factory helper methods below.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSCameraUpdate : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSCameraUpdate : NSObject

• GMSCircle

  A circle on the Earth’s surface (spherical cap).

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSCircle : GMSOverlay

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSCircle : GMSOverlay

• GMSCoordinateBounds

  GMSCoordinateBounds represents a rectangular bounding box on the Earth’s surface. GMSCoordinateBounds is immutable and can’t be modified after construction.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSCoordinateBounds : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSCoordinateBounds : NSObject

• GMSDatasetFeature

  An interface representing a feature from a dataset.

  The featureType of a DatasetFeature will always be GMSFeatureTypeDataset.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class DatasetFeature : NSObject, Feature

  Objective-C

  
  @interface GMSDatasetFeature : NSObject <GMSFeature>

• GMSDatasetFeatureLayer

  An interface representing a feature layer for a dataset.

  The featureType of a GMSDatasetFeatureLayer will always be GMSFeatureTypeDataset.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class DatasetFeatureLayer : FeatureLayer<DatasetFeature>

  Objective-C

  
  @interface GMSDatasetFeatureLayer : GMSFeatureLayer <GMSDatasetFeature *>

• GMSFeatureLayer

  A class representing a collection of all features of the same GMSFeatureType, whose style can be overridden on the client. Each GMSFeatureType will have one corresponding GMSFeatureLayer.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class FeatureLayer<T> : NSObject where T : Feature

  Objective-C

  
  @interface GMSFeatureLayer<__covariant T : id <GMSFeature>> : NSObject

• GMSFeatureStyle

  Specifies how a map feature should appear when displayed on a map.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class FeatureStyle : NSObject, NSCopying, NSMutableCopying

  Objective-C

  
  @interface GMSFeatureStyle : NSObject <NSCopying, NSMutableCopying>

• GMSMutableFeatureStyle

  Mutable version of GMSFeatureStyle.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class MutableFeatureStyle : FeatureStyle

  Objective-C

  
  @interface GMSMutableFeatureStyle : GMSFeatureStyle

• GMSGeocoder

  Exposes a service for reverse geocoding. This maps Earth coordinates (latitude and longitude) to a collection of addresses near that coordinate.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSGeocoder : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSGeocoder : NSObject

• GMSReverseGeocodeResponse

  A collection of results from a reverse geocode request.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSReverseGeocodeResponse : NSObject, NSCopying

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSReverseGeocodeResponse : NSObject <NSCopying>

• GMSGroundOverlay

  GMSGroundOverlay specifies the available options for a ground overlay that exists on the Earth’s surface. Unlike a marker, the position of a ground overlay is specified explicitly and it does not face the camera.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSGroundOverlay : GMSOverlay

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSGroundOverlay : GMSOverlay

• GMSIndoorBuilding

  Describes a building which contains levels.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSIndoorBuilding : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSIndoorBuilding : NSObject

• GMSIndoorDisplay

  Provides ability to observe or control the display of indoor level data.

  Like GMSMapView, GMSIndoorDisplay may only be used from the main thread.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSIndoorDisplay : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSIndoorDisplay : NSObject

• GMSIndoorLevel

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSIndoorLevel : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSIndoorLevel : NSObject
  
  - (instancetype)init NS_UNAVAILABLE;
  
  /** Localized display name for the level, e.g. "Ground floor". */
  @property(nonatomic, copy, readonly, nullable) NSString *name;
  
  /** Localized short display name for the level, e.g. "1". */
  @property(nonatomic, copy, readonly, nullable) NSString *shortName;
  
  @end

• GMSMapID

  An opaque identifier for a custom map configuration.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSMapID : NSObject, NSCopying

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSMapID : NSObject <NSCopying>

• GMSMapLayer

  GMSMapLayer is a custom subclass of CALayer, provided as the layer class on GMSMapView. This layer should not be instantiated directly. It provides model access to the camera normally defined on GMSMapView.

  Modifying or animating these properties will typically interrupt any current gesture on GMSMapView, e.g., a user’s pan or rotation. Similarly, if a user performs an enabled gesture during an animation, the animation will stop ‘in-place’ (at the current presentation value).

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSMapLayer : GMSCALayer

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSMapLayer : GMSCALayer

• GMSMapStyle

  GMSMapStyle holds details about a style which can be applied to a map.

  With style options you can customize the presentation of the standard Google map styles, changing the visual display of features like roads, parks, and other points of interest. As well as changing the style of these features, you can also hide features entirely. This means that you can emphasize particular components of the map or make the map complement the content of your app.

  For more information see: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/ios-sdk/styling

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSMapStyle : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSMapStyle : NSObject

• GMSMapView

  This is the main class of the Google Maps SDK for iOS and is the entry point for all methods related to the map.

  The map should be instantiated with one of the constructors -init or -initWithOptions:.

  GMSMapView can only be read and modified from the main thread, similar to all UIKit objects. Calling these methods from another thread will result in an exception or undefined behavior.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSMapView : UIView

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSMapView : UIView

• GMSMapViewOptions

  This class defines initialization-time options for GMSMapView.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSMapViewOptions : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSMapViewOptions : NSObject

• GMSMarker

  A marker is an icon placed at a particular point on the map’s surface. A marker’s icon is drawn oriented against the device’s screen rather than the map’s surface; i.e., it will not necessarily change orientation due to map rotations, tilting, or zooming.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSMarker : GMSOverlay

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSMarker : GMSOverlay

• GMSMarkerLayer

  GMSMarkerLayer is a subclass of GMSOverlayLayer, available on a per-marker basis, that allows animation of several properties of its associated GMSMarker.

  Note that this CALayer is never actually rendered directly, as GMSMapView is provided entirely via an OpenGL layer. As such, adjustments or animations to ‘default’ properties of CALayer will not have any effect.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSMarkerLayer : GMSOverlayLayer

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSMarkerLayer : GMSOverlayLayer

• GMSMutablePath

  GMSMutablePath is a dynamic (resizable) array of CLLocationCoordinate2D. All coordinates must be valid. GMSMutablePath is the mutable counterpart to the immutable GMSPath.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSMutablePath : GMSPath

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSMutablePath : GMSPath

• GMSOverlay

  GMSOverlay is an abstract class that represents some overlay that may be attached to a specific GMSMapView. It may not be instantiated directly; instead, instances of concrete overlay types should be created directly (such as GMSMarker, GMSPolyline, and GMSPolygon).

  This supports the NSCopying protocol; [overlay_ copy] will return a copy of the overlay type, but with map set to nil.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSOverlay : NSObject, NSCopying

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSOverlay : NSObject <NSCopying>

• GMSOverlayLayer

  GMSOverlayLayer is a custom subclass of CALayer, and an abstract baseclass for GMSOverlay layers that allow custom animations.

  Note that this CALayer or any subclass are never actually rendered directly, as GMSMapView is provided entirely via an OpenGL layer. As such, adjustments or animations to ‘default’ properties of CALayer will not have any effect.

  This is an implementation detail and it should not be instantiated directly.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSOverlayLayer : CALayer

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSOverlayLayer : CALayer

• GMSPanorama

  GMSPanorama represents metadata for a specific panorama on the Earth. This class is not instantiable directly and is obtained via GMSPanoramaService or GMSPanoramaView.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPanorama : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPanorama : NSObject

• GMSPanoramaCamera

  GMSPanoramaCamera is used to control the viewing direction of a GMSPanoramaView. It does not contain information about which particular panorama should be displayed.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPanoramaCamera : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPanoramaCamera : NSObject

• GMSPanoramaCameraUpdate

  GMSPanoramaCameraUpdate represents an update that may be applied to a GMSPanoramaView. It encapsulates some logic for modifying the current camera. It should only be constructed using the factory helper methods below.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPanoramaCameraUpdate : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPanoramaCameraUpdate : NSObject

• GMSPanoramaLayer

  GMSPanoramaLayer is a custom subclass of CALayer, provided as the layer class on GMSPanoramaView. This layer should not be instantiated directly.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPanoramaLayer : GMSCALayer

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPanoramaLayer : GMSCALayer

• GMSPanoramaLink

  Links from a GMSPanorama to neighboring panoramas.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPanoramaLink : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPanoramaLink : NSObject

• GMSPanoramaService

  GMSPanoramaService can be used to request panorama metadata even when a GMSPanoramaView is not active.

  Get an instance like this: [[GMSPanoramaService alloc] init].

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPanoramaService : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPanoramaService : NSObject

• GMSPanoramaView

  A panorama is used to display Street View imagery. It should be constructed via [[GMSPanoramaView alloc] initWithFrame:], and configured post-initialization.

  All properties and methods should be accessed on the main thread, similar to all UIKit objects. The GMSPanoramaViewDelegate methods will also be called back only on the main thread.

  The backgroundColor of this view is shown while no panorama is visible, such as while it is loading or if the panorama is later set to nil. The alpha color of backgroundColor is not supported.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPanoramaView : UIView

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPanoramaView : UIView

• GMSPath

  GMSPath encapsulates an immutable array of CLLocationCooordinate2D. All the coordinates of a GMSPath must be valid. The mutable counterpart is GMSMutablePath.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPath : NSObject, NSCopying, NSMutableCopying

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPath : NSObject <NSCopying, NSMutableCopying>

• GMSPinImage

  Provides a custom pin image for an advanced marker.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPinImage : UIImage

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPinImage : UIImage

• GMSPinImageGlyph

  Provides a custom pin image glyph for an advanced marker.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPinImageGlyph : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPinImageGlyph : NSObject

• GMSPinImageOptions

  Provides pin image customization for an advanced marker.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPinImageOptions : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPinImageOptions : NSObject

• GMSPlaceFeature

  An interface representing a place feature (a feature with a Place ID).

  Declaration

  Swift

  class PlaceFeature : NSObject, Feature

  Objective-C

  
  @interface GMSPlaceFeature : NSObject <GMSFeature>

• GMSPolygon

  GMSPolygon defines a polygon that appears on the map. A polygon (like a polyline) defines a series of connected coordinates in an ordered sequence; additionally, polygons form a closed loop and define a filled region.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPolygon : GMSOverlay

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPolygon : GMSOverlay

• GMSPolygonLayer

  GMSPolygonLayer is a subclass of GMSOverlayLayer, available on a per-polygon basis, that allows animation of several properties of its associated GMSPolygon.

  Note that this CALayer is never actually rendered directly, as GMSMapView is provided entirely via an OpenGL layer. As such, adjustments or animations to ‘default’ properties of CALayer will not have any effect.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPolygonLayer : GMSOverlayLayer

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPolygonLayer : GMSOverlayLayer

• GMSPolyline

  GMSPolyline specifies the available options for a polyline that exists on the Earth’s surface. It is drawn as a physical line between the points specified in path.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSPolyline : GMSOverlay

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSPolyline : GMSOverlay

• GMSProjection

  Defines a mapping between Earth coordinates CLLocationCoordinate2D and coordinates in the map’s view CGPoint. A projection is constant and immutable, in that the mapping it embodies never changes. The mapping is not necessarily linear.

  Passing invalid Earth coordinates (i.e., per CLLocationCoordinate2DIsValid) to this object may result in undefined behavior.

  This class should not be instantiated directly unless under testing conditions. Instead, obtain it via projection on GMSMapView.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSProjection : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSProjection : NSObject

• GMSServices

  Service class for the Google Maps SDK for iOS.

  This class is not thread safe. All methods should only be invoked on the main thread.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSServices : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSServices : NSObject

• GMSStampStyle

  The abstract base class for polyline styles that draw a repeating image over a GMSStyleSpan.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSStampStyle : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSStampStyle : NSObject

• GMSTextureStyle

  A polyline style that draws a repeating image over a GMSStyleSpan.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSTextureStyle : GMSStampStyle

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSTextureStyle : GMSStampStyle

• GMSSpriteStyle

  Describes the drawing style for a stamp image over a GMSStyleSpan.

  Note

  Only supports transparent background. If any color is set to the GMSStyleSpan it will only be treated as a fallback.

  Note

  Use of GMSSpriteStyle requires Metal rendering framework. See GMSServices::setMetalRendererEnabled:(BOOL) to learn how to enable Metal. If GMSStyleSpan is added to a map without Metal being enabled, the stamp will not render and instead the polyline span will attempt to fallback to any set color. If no color is set, it will fallback to the default polyline color, [UIColor blueColor].

  Note

  Use GMSMapView::mapCapabilities property to query if a GMSMapView supports GMSSpriteStyle.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSSpriteStyle : GMSStampStyle

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSSpriteStyle : GMSStampStyle

• GMSStrokeStyle

  Describes the drawing style for one-dimensional entities such as polylines.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSStrokeStyle : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSStrokeStyle : NSObject

• GMSStyleSpan

  Describes the style for some region of a polyline.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSStyleSpan : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSStyleSpan : NSObject

• GMSSyncTileLayer

  GMSSyncTileLayer is an abstract subclass of GMSTileLayer that provides a sync interface to generate image tile data.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSSyncTileLayer : GMSTileLayer

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSSyncTileLayer : GMSTileLayer

• GMSTileLayer

  GMSTileLayer is an abstract class that allows overlaying of custom image tiles on a specified GMSMapView. It may not be initialized directly, and subclasses must implement the tileForX:y:zoom: method to return tiles.

  At zoom level 0 the whole world is a square covered by a single tile, and the coordinates x and y are both 0 for that tile. At zoom level 1, the world is covered by 4 tiles with x and y being 0 or 1, and so on.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSTileLayer : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSTileLayer : NSObject

• GMSUISettings

  Settings for the user interface of a GMSMapView.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSUISettings : NSObject

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSUISettings : NSObject

• GMSURLTileLayer

  GMSURLTileProvider fetches tiles based on the URLs returned from a GMSTileURLConstructor. For example:

     GMSTileURLConstructor constructor = ^(NSUInteger x, NSUInteger y, NSUInteger zoom) {
       NSString *URLStr =
           [NSString stringWithFormat:@"https://example.com/%d/%d/%d.png", x, y, zoom];
       return [NSURL URLWithString:URLStr];
     };
     GMSTileLayer *layer =
         [GMSURLTileLayer tileLayerWithURLConstructor:constructor];
     layer.userAgent = @"SDK user agent";
     layer.map = map;
   

  GMSURLTileProvider may not be subclassed and should only be created via its convenience constructor.

  Declaration

  Swift

  class GMSURLTileLayer : GMSTileLayer

  Objective-C

  @interface GMSURLTileLayer : GMSTileLayer