You're all set!

To start developing, please head over to our developer documentation.

Activate the Google Maps JavaScript API

To get you started we'll guide you through the Google Developers Console to do a few things first:

  1. Create or choose a project
  2. Activate the Google Maps JavaScript API and related services
  3. Create appropriate keys
Continue

Directions service

This example demonstrates the use of the DirectionsService object to fetch directions between different cities.

Read the documentation or view this example full screen.

function initMap() {
  var directionsService = new google.maps.DirectionsService;
  var directionsDisplay = new google.maps.DirectionsRenderer;
  var map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map'), {
    zoom: 7,
    center: {lat: 41.85, lng: -87.65}
  });
  directionsDisplay.setMap(map);

  var onChangeHandler = function() {
    calculateAndDisplayRoute(directionsService, directionsDisplay);
  };
  document.getElementById('start').addEventListener('change', onChangeHandler);
  document.getElementById('end').addEventListener('change', onChangeHandler);
}

function calculateAndDisplayRoute(directionsService, directionsDisplay) {
  directionsService.route({
    origin: document.getElementById('start').value,
    destination: document.getElementById('end').value,
    travelMode: 'DRIVING'
  }, function(response, status) {
    if (status === 'OK') {
      directionsDisplay.setDirections(response);
    } else {
      window.alert('Directions request failed due to ' + status);
    }
  });
}
<div id="floating-panel">
<b>Start: </b>
<select id="start">
  <option value="chicago, il">Chicago</option>
  <option value="st louis, mo">St Louis</option>
  <option value="joplin, mo">Joplin, MO</option>
  <option value="oklahoma city, ok">Oklahoma City</option>
  <option value="amarillo, tx">Amarillo</option>
  <option value="gallup, nm">Gallup, NM</option>
  <option value="flagstaff, az">Flagstaff, AZ</option>
  <option value="winona, az">Winona</option>
  <option value="kingman, az">Kingman</option>
  <option value="barstow, ca">Barstow</option>
  <option value="san bernardino, ca">San Bernardino</option>
  <option value="los angeles, ca">Los Angeles</option>
</select>
<b>End: </b>
<select id="end">
  <option value="chicago, il">Chicago</option>
  <option value="st louis, mo">St Louis</option>
  <option value="joplin, mo">Joplin, MO</option>
  <option value="oklahoma city, ok">Oklahoma City</option>
  <option value="amarillo, tx">Amarillo</option>
  <option value="gallup, nm">Gallup, NM</option>
  <option value="flagstaff, az">Flagstaff, AZ</option>
  <option value="winona, az">Winona</option>
  <option value="kingman, az">Kingman</option>
  <option value="barstow, ca">Barstow</option>
  <option value="san bernardino, ca">San Bernardino</option>
  <option value="los angeles, ca">Los Angeles</option>
</select>
</div>
<div id="map"></div>
/* Always set the map height explicitly to define the size of the div
 * element that contains the map. */
#map {
  height: 100%;
}
/* Optional: Makes the sample page fill the window. */
html, body {
  height: 100%;
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
}
#floating-panel {
  position: absolute;
  top: 10px;
  left: 25%;
  z-index: 5;
  background-color: #fff;
  padding: 5px;
  border: 1px solid #999;
  text-align: center;
  font-family: 'Roboto','sans-serif';
  line-height: 30px;
  padding-left: 10px;
}
<!-- Replace the value of the key parameter with your own API key. -->
<script async defer
src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?key=AIzaSyCkUOdZ5y7hMm0yrcCQoCvLwzdM6M8s5qk&callback=initMap">
</script>

Try it yourself

Hover at top right of the code block to copy the code or open it in JSFiddle.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1.0, user-scalable=no">
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title>Directions service</title>
    <style>
      /* Always set the map height explicitly to define the size of the div
       * element that contains the map. */
      #map {
        height: 100%;
      }
      /* Optional: Makes the sample page fill the window. */
      html, body {
        height: 100%;
        margin: 0;
        padding: 0;
      }
      #floating-panel {
        position: absolute;
        top: 10px;
        left: 25%;
        z-index: 5;
        background-color: #fff;
        padding: 5px;
        border: 1px solid #999;
        text-align: center;
        font-family: 'Roboto','sans-serif';
        line-height: 30px;
        padding-left: 10px;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <div id="floating-panel">
    <b>Start: </b>
    <select id="start">
      <option value="chicago, il">Chicago</option>
      <option value="st louis, mo">St Louis</option>
      <option value="joplin, mo">Joplin, MO</option>
      <option value="oklahoma city, ok">Oklahoma City</option>
      <option value="amarillo, tx">Amarillo</option>
      <option value="gallup, nm">Gallup, NM</option>
      <option value="flagstaff, az">Flagstaff, AZ</option>
      <option value="winona, az">Winona</option>
      <option value="kingman, az">Kingman</option>
      <option value="barstow, ca">Barstow</option>
      <option value="san bernardino, ca">San Bernardino</option>
      <option value="los angeles, ca">Los Angeles</option>
    </select>
    <b>End: </b>
    <select id="end">
      <option value="chicago, il">Chicago</option>
      <option value="st louis, mo">St Louis</option>
      <option value="joplin, mo">Joplin, MO</option>
      <option value="oklahoma city, ok">Oklahoma City</option>
      <option value="amarillo, tx">Amarillo</option>
      <option value="gallup, nm">Gallup, NM</option>
      <option value="flagstaff, az">Flagstaff, AZ</option>
      <option value="winona, az">Winona</option>
      <option value="kingman, az">Kingman</option>
      <option value="barstow, ca">Barstow</option>
      <option value="san bernardino, ca">San Bernardino</option>
      <option value="los angeles, ca">Los Angeles</option>
    </select>
    </div>
    <div id="map"></div>
    <script>
      function initMap() {
        var directionsService = new google.maps.DirectionsService;
        var directionsDisplay = new google.maps.DirectionsRenderer;
        var map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map'), {
          zoom: 7,
          center: {lat: 41.85, lng: -87.65}
        });
        directionsDisplay.setMap(map);

        var onChangeHandler = function() {
          calculateAndDisplayRoute(directionsService, directionsDisplay);
        };
        document.getElementById('start').addEventListener('change', onChangeHandler);
        document.getElementById('end').addEventListener('change', onChangeHandler);
      }

      function calculateAndDisplayRoute(directionsService, directionsDisplay) {
        directionsService.route({
          origin: document.getElementById('start').value,
          destination: document.getElementById('end').value,
          travelMode: 'DRIVING'
        }, function(response, status) {
          if (status === 'OK') {
            directionsDisplay.setDirections(response);
          } else {
            window.alert('Directions request failed due to ' + status);
          }
        });
      }
    </script>
    <script async defer
    src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?key=YOUR_API_KEY&callback=initMap">
    </script>
  </body>
</html>

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