Generate Google Maps Key in Android

Introduction

This article explains how to generate a Google Maps Key in Android.

What is API

API stands for Application Programming Interface that consists of packages, classes, and interfaces with their respective methods, fields, and constructors. APIs are used to minimize the lines of code that you write to develop an application.

Google Maps API

The Google Maps API provides you the ability to add Google Maps to your application. The Google Maps API automatically deals with the Google Maps server, data downloading, map display and touch gesture on the map. Using this API you can also add markers to the Google Maps. The Google Maps Android API provides a MapView class.

MapView

A Map View is a view that displays a Map by obtaining data from the Google Maps service. When you use this class you need to forward all the lifecycle methods from the activity or fragments. The methods you will forward are as follows:

onCreate()
onResume()
onPause()
onDestroy()
onSavedInstanceState() onLowMemory()

You can get Google Maps using the getMap() method of the MapView class. But the Map availability is totally dependent on the Google Play service APK. To use Google Maps you need to first install the Google Play service and get a Google Maps key from Google. Otherwise, the getMap() method returns null.

For a simpler method of displaying a map use MapFragments.

getMap()

This method is used to get Google Maps. This method returns null when the Google Maps is not available and this happens when the Google Play service is not available. If the Google Play service is available then it returns the Google Maps.

Generate Google Maps key

Now we will learn how we generate Google Maps for the Android application.

Step 1

First you need to install the Google Play service on clicking the Android SDK Manager.

Step 2

After installing the Google Play service you need to import the Google Play "service_lib" like this:

Step 3

Click "File" -> "Import".

Step 4

Click "Android" then click on the existing Android code in the workspace .

Step 5

Click on "Browse".

Step 6

Go to the SDK then select "Extras"-> "Google"-> "google_play_service" -> "libproject" then click "Ok" and "Finish". Now you can see in your project explorer list the "google_play_service_library" like this: