User muscle memory
Store locators, trip planners, and consumer apps often convert better when the map already feels like Google.
Why Google Maps
Ubiquity as a feature
Google Maps is what most users already know how to pan and search. I reach for it when product familiarity and Places data outweigh MapLibre-style open tiling.
Places & POIs
Rich place data and autocomplete save months of gazetteer work — when licensing fits the project.
Routes & mobility
Directions and distance matrix APIs pair cleanly with product backends and mobile clients.
Know the tradeoffs
Closed styles and pricing tiers push some GIS workloads elsewhere. This lab documents when Google is — and isn't — the right call.
Built with Google Maps
Playground projects
Starter demos for Maps JS API patterns will appear here — markers, Places search, and drawing tools.
Locator
Locator sketch
A minimal store-locator pattern with custom markers and info windows — baseline Google Maps Platform usage.
Coming soonPlaces
Places search pad
Address autocomplete into a map pin — the bread-and-butter Google Maps integration.
Coming soonPlatform labs
Same pattern, more stacks
Mapping and cloud playgrounds — each hub explains why I use the platform and links demos as they ship.