Google Maps Book
Beginning Google Maps API 3 is my book about the new, lightning fast, Google Maps API version 3. It will introduce you to the ins and outs of the API which is a total remake from version 2 and is constructed to work well on both mobile and desktop platforms.
Reading this book you will learn how to:
- incorporate Google Maps on your own web sites
- deal with common problems most developers encounter, like too many markers and common JavaScript pitfalls
- transfer from version 2 to version 3
- use best practices with HTML/CSS/Javascript
- perform Geocoding and build location-aware applications
Who is the book for
The book is for anyone interested in learning how to use the Google Maps API. It certainly doesn’t hurt if your familiar with HTML, CSS and JavaScript, but even if you’re not, you will probably be able to follow along anyway since all the concepts and examples are thoroughly explained.
The chapters
Here’s a list of all the chapters in the book:
- Chapter 1: Introducing the Google Maps API
- Chapter 2: Transferring from Version 2 to 3
- Chapter 3: Creating Your First Map
- Chapter 4: Taking the Map Further with MapOptions
- Chapter 5: X Marks the Spot
- Chapter 6: Marker Icons
- Chapter 7: InfoWindow Tips and Tricks
- Chapter 8: Creating Polylines and Polygons
- Chapter 9: Dealing with Massive Numbers of Markers
- Chapter 10: Location, Location, Location
- Appendix: API Reference
Example code
All the example code from the book is available in this zip file.
Buy the book
This book is available to buy from Amazon.com
If you’re in Sweden you can buy the book from Adlibris.com.
Reviews
Dean Farrell
Dean Farrell reviewed the book at the North Carolina Digital Collections Collaboratory site in September 2010.
All in all, I’d highly recommend Beginning Google Maps API 3 to those looking to develop Google Maps applications with the new API. It’s clearly written with lots of examples and pictures of exactly what the code’s output looks like.
Bojan Pejic
Bojan Pejic who’s a web developer from Serbia has posted a review at his site bojanpejic.com in October 2010. He concludes that:
This is a very good book for those developers who want to learn Google Maps API 3 basics, I highly recommend for them. Book is written clearly, and it is easy to follow.
Feedback
I love to receive feedback. If you want to contact me about the book or for some other reason, you can do so through the Contact Page or by emailing me at gabriel[at]svennerberg[dot]com.