AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML)-based mapping applications are among the most powerful new tools on the Web. Mapping tools can be used in a variety of applications including real estate mapping, geographic tracking programs, educational tools and even games. In this article Michael Coles will introduce one of the hottest new custom mapping tools: the Google Maps API version 1.0. This article is designed to get you up and running with your own Google Maps quickly by creating several simple examples using the Google Maps API. The default example provided by Google will cover the basics of using the API, the second example will expand on that by adding a icon and an info window. The last example will combine the Google Maps API and AJAX to create an animated map.

Author:Michael Coles
Editor:
Reviewers:Neil Piggot, Teun Duynstee