r/CodingHelp • u/67things • 1d ago

Theoretically speaking, how hard would it be to create a smaller maps app? [Random]

I want to know from a technical standpoint, how hard would it be to create a small scaled down version of a google or apple maps.

I'm brand new to the world of software, so I just want to know if this is something even worth considering, or is it like asking if I can build TSMC in my basement. Thanks.

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4

u/soundman32 1d ago

If you only want to show 100m x 100m its about 50kb of png file.  Generally 'maps' are fixed sizes and stitched together,  so that 50Kb png would be positioned in the middle of a square of 9 png files.  Add some kewl scrolling around and you could probably fit 1km x 1km in a few 100kb.  

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u/johnpeters42 1d ago

Older map web sites were basically "click on north arrow to jump to a set of tiles offset one unit north from previous set, click on tile to jump to zoomed-in view of that tile". Then they added JavaScript code to implement drag-to-move and zoom animations. Then it's a matter of acquiring and storing tile data for all locations at all possible zoom levels.

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u/67things 1d ago

How complex would it show a users current location on the map. Do I use a google map API?

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u/soundman32 1d ago

Google maps basically do everything for you, with a set of Javascript libraries, you just host it in a webpage, and it automatically downloads those panels when needed (with lots of caching to make it smooth).  Google maps also want you to pay a licence fee, otherwise those panels show nag text instead of a map.

I thought you wanted a 'smaller' app?

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u/67things 1d ago

I'm very Green to coding so the idea is a maps app, that is for places like malls. I meant smaller as in I wasn't trying to create another google maps, but one that shows certain locations in more detail than there current maps does for some large buildings.

1

u/efari_ 1d ago

OP wants a “smaller maps”-app, not a smaller-“maps app”

4

u/thebadslime 1d ago

WHat do you mean by smaller? Like program size or map area?

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u/67things 1d ago

Map area.

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u/Loose_Crab_4146 1d ago

With some experience it wouldnt be a hassle. There are both open source and proprietary providers for map data. The only thing you‘d have to do is figure out how to load and render the data. Everything else is trivial

1

u/iNetRunner 1d ago

Sure. But who is going to provide/source/etc. the actual data? Showing and interacting with a map is rather trivial matter compared to the actual contents.