New Static API Takes the Work Out of Google Maps

If you'd love to have some maps on your site, but the complexity of the Google Maps API gives you a headache, Google has come up with another option — the new Static Maps API.

Google’s static maps are just images that require no Javascript or other dynamic tools to work. The images are especially handy for mobile sites or other situation where

If you'd love to have some maps on your site, but the complexity of the Google Maps API gives you a headache, Google has come up with another option — the new Static Maps API.

Google’s static maps are just images that require no Javascript or other dynamic tools to work. The images are especially handy for mobile sites or other situation where Javascript isn’t practical.

The new API is very similar in practice to the recently-launched charts API — you just need to send a few parameters in a specially crafted URL.

Instead of complicated Javascript code, the Static Maps API allows you to specify information in the form of an image link. Google will then send back a static image of the area you requested. The URL allows you to specify where to center the map, any markers to include, how much to zoom and how large the image should be.

For those that don’t want to handcraft a URL with all the details there’s even a very simple to use wizard that will generate the code for you.