Maps

Working with Maps in Webapps

List of solutions

• https://jqueryhouse.com/javascript-libraries-for-building-interactive-map/
• https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/javascript-libraries-for-interactive-maps/
• https://onextrapixel.com/8-javascript-libraries-for-interactive-map-visualizations/
• https://www.iprodev.com/best-javascript-libraries-for-creating-interactive-maps/

Free and/or Open Source Solutions

These are free to use, or at least have a free tier

• https://leafletjs.com/
  • “an open-source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps”
• https://newsignature.github.io/us-map/
  • “You can download U.S. Map from Github as well as view the source or even fork it. It is licensed under the BSD Standard License”
• http://jvectormap.com/
  • Commerical, but has a GPL free tier
• http://polymaps.org/
  • “A JavaScript library for image- and vector-tiled maps using SVG….Polymaps is a free JavaScript library for making dynamic, interactive maps in modern web browsers.”

Solutions based on other larger frameworks

• https://d3js.org/: D3.js is a web framework for data visualization. It deserves a whole separate tutorial.
  • Apparently, it also has features for doing geographic maps.
  • Here is one example: http://bl.ocks.org/michellechandra/0b2ce4923dc9b5809922
  • Here is a library built on d3.js: https://datamaps.github.io/
• Google Maps
  • http://maplacejs.com/
    • “Maplace.js is a small Google Maps Javascript plugin for jQuery that helps you to embed Google Maps into your website, quickly create markers and controls menu for the locations on map. It requires jQuery and Google Maps API v3 so you need to have both in your page.”

Commercial Solutions

These cost money. I am including them only so that you can “rule them out” if you are doing web searches (assuming that you don’t want to spend the money, which you probably don’t if you are doing a student or class project.)

• https://www.amcharts.com/javascript-maps/

Possibly solutions

These appear to be a little more “fringe” than the others, but are intriging.

• https://github.com/mobomo/stately
  • This presents the interesting idea of state outlines as characters in a web font.

Non-Solutions

• https://mapchart.net/usa.html
  • Allows making a map, but I wasn’t able to find an API.