How to create Google Map in Android

To create a Google Map in an Android application using Kotlin and display the user’s current location, follow these steps:

1. Set Up the Project

1. Open Android Studio and create a new project with the Google Maps Activity template.
2. Add the necessary dependencies for Google Maps in the build.gradle file (usually already included with the Maps template):

   implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-maps:18.1.0'
   implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-location:21.0.1'

2. Get a Google Maps API Key

1. Go to the Google Cloud Console.
2. Create a new project or select an existing one.
3. Enable the Maps SDK for Android API.
4. Generate an API key and add it to the AndroidManifest.xml:

   <meta-data
       android:name="com.google.android.geo.API_KEY"
       android:value="YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" />

3. Modify the Activity Code

Update the MapsActivity.kt file to display the user’s current location:

Imports

import android.Manifest
import android.content.pm.PackageManager
import android.location.Location
import android.os.Bundle
import androidx.core.app.ActivityCompat
import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat
import com.google.android.gms.maps.CameraUpdateFactory
import com.google.android.gms.maps.GoogleMap
import com.google.android.gms.maps.OnMapReadyCallback
import com.google.android.gms.maps.SupportMapFragment
import com.google.android.gms.maps.model.LatLng
import com.google.android.gms.maps.model.MarkerOptions
import com.google.android.gms.location.FusedLocationProviderClient
import com.google.android.gms.location.LocationServices

Activity Code

class MapsActivity : AppCompatActivity(), OnMapReadyCallback {

    private lateinit var mMap: GoogleMap
    private lateinit var fusedLocationClient: FusedLocationProviderClient
    private val LOCATION_PERMISSION_REQUEST_CODE = 1000

    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_maps)

        // Initialize the FusedLocationProviderClient
        fusedLocationClient = LocationServices.getFusedLocationProviderClient(this)

        // Obtain the SupportMapFragment and get notified when the map is ready
        val mapFragment = supportFragmentManager
            .findFragmentById(R.id.map) as SupportMapFragment
        mapFragment.getMapAsync(this)
    }

    override fun onMapReady(googleMap: GoogleMap) {
        mMap = googleMap

        // Check for location permissions
        if (ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this, Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION)
            == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
            enableUserLocation()
        } else {
            // Request location permission
            ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(
                this,
                arrayOf(Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION),
                LOCATION_PERMISSION_REQUEST_CODE
            )
        }
    }

    private fun enableUserLocation() {
        mMap.isMyLocationEnabled = true

        // Get the user's last known location
        fusedLocationClient.lastLocation.addOnSuccessListener { location: Location? ->
            location?.let {
                val currentLatLng = LatLng(it.latitude, it.longitude)
                mMap.addMarker(MarkerOptions().position(currentLatLng).title("You are here"))
                mMap.moveCamera(CameraUpdateFactory.newLatLngZoom(currentLatLng, 15f))
            }
        }
    }

    override fun onRequestPermissionsResult(
        requestCode: Int,
        permissions: Array<out String>,
        grantResults: IntArray
    ) {
        if (requestCode == LOCATION_PERMISSION_REQUEST_CODE) {
            if ((grantResults.isNotEmpty() && grantResults[0] == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED)) {
                enableUserLocation()
            } else {
                // Permission denied, handle as needed
            }
        }
    }
}

4. Update the XML Layout

Ensure the activity_maps.xml file includes a SupportMapFragment:

<fragment
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/map"
    android:name="com.google.android.gms.maps.SupportMapFragment"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent" />

5. Test the Application

1. Build and run the application on a device (not an emulator unless it has location services enabled).
2. Grant location permissions when prompted.
3. The map should display the user’s current location with a marker.

Optional Enhancements

• Add real-time location updates using LocationCallback.
• Customize the map using Google Maps UI settings or add markers for nearby points of interest.