React Google Maps Library - Basic Map

  • This example demonstrates how to render a basic Google Map in a React application using the vis.gl/react-google-maps library.

  • The vis.gl/react-google-maps library provides React components and hooks for integrating the Google Maps JavaScript API, but it's important to note it is open source and not officially supported by Google.

  • The example includes code snippets for TypeScript, JavaScript, CSS, and HTML, showcasing the implementation of the map within a simple web page.

  • Users can try the sample directly in Google Cloud Shell or clone the repository and run it locally using Git and Node.js.

  • While the library itself is open source, any Google Maps Platform services utilized within it are subject to the Google Maps Platform Terms of Service.

This example uses the vis.gl/react-google-maps open source library to render a Google map in a React app. The vis.gl/react-google-maps library is a collection of React components and hooks for the Google Maps JavaScript API.

TypeScript

import React from 'react';
import { createRoot } from 'react-dom/client';
import { APIProvider, Map, AdvancedMarker } from '@vis.gl/react-google-maps';

const API_KEY = 'GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY';

export default function App() {
    return (
        <APIProvider apiKey={API_KEY}>
            <Map
                defaultCenter={{ lat: 37.4220656, lng: -122.0840897 }}
                defaultZoom={10}
                mapId="DEMO_MAP_ID">
                <AdvancedMarker
                    position={{ lat: 37.4220656, lng: -122.0840897 }}
                    title="Mountain View, CA"
                />
            </Map>
        </APIProvider>
    );
}

export function renderToDom(container: HTMLElement) {
    const root = createRoot(container);
    root.render(
        <React.StrictMode>
            <App />
        </React.StrictMode>
    );
}

JavaScript

import React from 'react';
import { createRoot } from 'react-dom/client';
import { APIProvider, Map, AdvancedMarker } from '@vis.gl/react-google-maps';
const API_KEY = 'GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY';
export default function App() {
    return (React.createElement(APIProvider, { apiKey: API_KEY },
        React.createElement(Map, { defaultCenter: { lat: 37.4220656, lng: -122.0840897 }, defaultZoom: 10, mapId: "DEMO_MAP_ID" },
            React.createElement(AdvancedMarker, { position: { lat: 37.4220656, lng: -122.0840897 }, title: "Mountain View, CA" }))));
}
export function renderToDom(container) {
    const root = createRoot(container);
    root.render(React.createElement(React.StrictMode, null,
        React.createElement(App, null)));
}

HTML

<html lang="en">
    <head>
        <meta charset="utf-8" />
        <meta
            name="viewport"
            content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, user-scalable=no" />
        <title>React - Basic Map</title>
        <meta name="description" content="React Basic Map Example" />
        <style>
            body {
                margin: 0;
                font-family: sans-serif;
            }
            #app {
                width: 100vw;
                height: 100vh;
            }
        </style>
        <script type="module">
            import { renderToDom } from './src/app';

            renderToDom(document.querySelector('#app'));
        </script>
    </head>
    <body>
        <div id="app"></div>
    </body>
</html>

Clone Sample

Git and Node.js are required to run this sample locally. Follow these instructions to install Node.js and NPM. You will also need a Google Maps API key.

The following commands clone the repository, install dependencies, and copy the environment file. 

  git clone https://github.com/googlemaps-samples/js-api-samples.git
  cd js-api-samples
  npm i
  cp .env.template .env

Once you copy the environment file, make sure to open the .env file and replace <Insert your own development API key here> with your actual API key before starting the sample. 

  cd samples/rgm-basic-map
  npm start

Integration notes

When integrating Google Maps within a React application, this sample implements several key best practices using the open source @vis.gl/react-google-maps library.

1. APIProvider

The <APIProvider> component is used at the root of the application to load the Google Maps JavaScript API script once. It handles the API loading state and makes the Google Maps instance available to all child components using React Context.

2. Map Component

Instead of manually instantiating new google.maps.Map() and attaching it to a DOM node, the <Map> component lets you define the map declaratively.

  • By using defaultCenter and defaultZoom, we create an "uncontrolled" map component where the map manages its own state internally, while still initializing it to the correct location.
  • The mapId property is required to enable Cloud-based Maps Styling and Advanced Markers.

3. Advanced Markers

The legacy google.maps.Marker class is deprecated. This sample uses the <AdvancedMarker> component to declaratively render the modern AdvancedMarkerElement directly on the map.