Getting Started with Google Maps in Python

Google Maps is a powerful tool that can be used for various purposes, including navigation, finding businesses, and exploring new places.

Prerequisites

Before you can start using Google Maps in Python, you will need to have the following:

• A Google Maps API key. You can get a free API key from the Google Maps Platform website: https://developers.google.com/maps/get-started.
• A Python development environment. You can use any Python IDE, such as PyCharm: https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/ or Visual Studio Code: https://code.visualstudio.com/.

Installing the Google Maps API for Python

Once you have your API key, you must install the Google Maps API for Python. You can do this by running the following command in your terminal:

pip install googlemaps

Creating a Basic Map

Now that you have the Google Maps API installed, you can start creating maps. The following code will create a basic map of the world:

import googlemaps

gmaps = googlemaps.Client(key="YOUR_API_KEY")

map_options = {
    "zoom": 2,
    "center": (0, 0),
}

map = gmaps.maps(map_options)

print(map)

This code will create a world map with a zoom level of 2 and a center point of (0, 0). The print() statement will print the HTML code for the map.

Adding Markers to a Map

You can add markers to a map to indicate specific locations. The following code will add a marker to the map of the world at the location of the White House:

import googlemaps

gmaps = googlemaps.Client(key="YOUR_API_KEY")

map_options = {
    "zoom": 2,
    "center": (0, 0),
}

map = gmaps.maps(map_options)

marker = gmaps.marker([38.897633, -77.036472])

map.add_marker(marker)

print(map)

This code will add a marker to the map at the latitude and longitude coordinates of the White House. The marker will be a blue icon with the text “White House.”

Getting Directions

You can use the Google Maps API to get directions between two locations. The following code will get directions between the White House and the Empire State Building:

import googlemaps

gmaps = googlemaps.Client(key="YOUR_API_KEY")

start_location = (38.897633, -77.036472)
end_location = (40.750320, -73.986352)

directions = gmaps.directions(start_location, end_location)

for step in directions[0]["legs"][0]["steps"]:
    print(step["html_instructions"])

This code will print the HTML instructions for each step of the directions between the White House and the Empire State Building.

Conclusion

This is just a brief introduction to starting with Google Maps in Python. You can do many other things with the Google Maps API, such as finding businesses, creating custom maps, and getting traffic information.

For more information, please refer to the Google Maps API documentation.

• Google Maps API documentation:
• Google Maps API Python tutorial:

How to unlock business value from geospatial intelligence / Google Maps Platform