Get GPS Coordinates & Generate Map In Javascript (Simple Example)

Welcome to a tutorial on how to get the GPS coordinates using Javascript, and display them on a map. It is not a mystery by now that there is something called the global positioning system (GPS), and it is very commonly used on mobile devices. But there is one thing that some beginners are still confused about – Nope, GPS is not a “native-app-only” feature.

To better illustrate, let us walk through a simple example in this guide – Read on!

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

THE DEMO

 

STEP 1) REGISTER & CREATE ACCESS TOKEN AT MAPBOX

First, register with Mapbox and get your own access token. For you guys who are worried that Mapbox might be some “shady company” – They are the ones behind the maps on Facebook and Snapchat.

 

 

STEP 2) THE HTML

<!-- (A) LOAD MAPBOX API -->
<!-- https://www.mapbox.com/ | https://docs.mapbox.com/ -->
<script src="https://api.mapbox.com/mapbox-gl-js/v2.9.1/mapbox-gl.js"></script>
<link href="https://api.mapbox.com/mapbox-gl-js/v2.9.1/mapbox-gl.css" rel="stylesheet">
 
<!-- (B) CONTAINER TO RENDER MAP -->
<div id="map" style="width:100%; height:400px;"></div>

This should be self-explanatory. Just load the Mapbox API, and create a <div> to generate the map.

 

STEP 3) THE JAVASCRIPT

// (A) INSERT ACCESS TOKEN HERE!
mapboxgl.accessToken = "TOKEN";
 
// (B) GET GPS COORDINATES
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(
  // (B1) DRAW MAP
  pos => {
    // (B1-1) THE MAP
    let map = new mapboxgl.Map({
      container: "map",
      style: "mapbox://styles/mapbox/streets-v11",
      center: [pos.coords.longitude, pos.coords.latitude],
      zoom: 13
    });
 
    // (B1-2) ADD A MARKER
    let marker = new mapboxgl.Marker()
      .setLngLat([pos.coords.longitude, pos.coords.latitude])
      .addTo(map);
  },
 
  // (B2) ON FAILING TO GET GPS COORDINATES
  err => console.error(err),
 
  // (B3) GPS OPTIONS
  {
    enableHighAccuracy: true,
    timeout: 5000,
    maximumAge: 0
  }
);

Keep calm and look closely. The Javascript is as straightforward as can be.

• (A) Insert your access key here.
• (B1) Get the GPS coordinates navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition, then draw the map new mapboxgl.Map().
• (B2) Take note, once the user denies permission to access GPS, navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition() will not prompt again but throws an error. This is a good place to serve your “this app requires GPS” notice, and how to manually enable GPS.
• (B3) The GPS options.

That’s all. But this is only the raw basics, read the Mapbox API documentation for more.

 

 

 

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EXAMPLE CODE DOWNLOAD

Click here for the source code. I have released it under the MIT license, so feel free to build on top of it or use it in your own project.

 

 

WHAT HAPPENED TO GOOGLE MAPS?

For you guys who are wondering, why not the almighty Google Maps? I have one word to describe the situation at the time of writing – Paywall. Yes, in order to access Google Maps API, one has to create a billing account, the credit card comes first.

It is definitely a lot of trouble for the younger developers and students who don’t have credit cards. So the next best free alternative is OpenStreetMap – Mapbox is one of the most credible companies that adopt OpenStreetMap and I will recommend a few more below.

P.S. Not saying that Google Maps is bad, but it’s really more of a viable option if you have a larger audience. OpenStreetMap is not totally free either, the API by various providers will cut after a certain number of requests.

 

MAP SERVICES

• Mapbox
• OpenLayers
• Thunderforest
• maps.stamen.com

 

COMPATIBILITY CHECKS

• Arrow Functions – CanIUse
• Get Current Position – CanIUse

This example will work on all modern browsers with a GPS unit (will give approximate GPS from the IP address if not).

 

LINKS & REFERENCES

• Geolocation API – MDN
• Geolocation.getCurrentPosition() – MDN
• Mapbox Javascript API
• 5 Powerful Alternatives to Google Maps API – Nordic APIs
• PHP-GPS Tracking System – Code Boxx

 

TUTORIAL VIDEO

 

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