Project Title: Google Map Flutter

This project demonstrates the integration of Google Maps with the Flutter framework, showcasing various functionalities and features to create a dynamic map-based application. It incorporates essential map elements like markers, polygons, polylines, and user location tracking. Below is an overview of the key features and details of the implementation.

Features

1. Permissions

• Requests and manages location permissions using the permission_handler package.
• Ensures the location service is enabled before using map functionalities.

2. Map Customization

• Implements multiple map styles (Standard, Retro, and Night) using JSON styling files.
• Styles are loaded dynamically and can be toggled through a popup menu.

3. Markers

• Displays multiple markers on the map with: Custom InfoWindows for markers using the custom_info_window package. Custom icons for specific markers.
• Allows interaction with markers to show location-specific details.

4. Polygons and Polylines

• Polygons: These are used to define areas on the map. Geodesic properties allow accurate rendering over the Earth's surface.
• Polylines: Draw routes between two or more points using the flutter_polyline_points package. Fetches and displays a path based on route data from the PolylinePoints API.

5. User Location

• Tracks the user’s real-time location and updates the map dynamically using the location package.
• The map camera animates to follow the user’s updated position.

6. Interactive InfoWindow

• Custom InfoWindows provide additional details such as: Images, names, and addresses of places. Options like directions, save, share, and add labels.

7. Address Lookup

• Converts latitude and longitude into human-readable addresses using the geocoding package. Displays address details in a bottom sheet.

Challenges

Understanding Map Widgets

• Issue: Grasping all the properties of the GoogleMap widget, such as markers, polylines, and polygons, felt complex initially.
• Solution: I started with a basic map implementation and gradually added one feature at a time, such as markers and polylines, testing each step to understand how they work.

Marker Customization

• Issue: Creating and scaling custom marker icons resulted in blurry icons or alignment issues.
• Solution: I carefully formatted assets to match the required resolution and used the BitmapDescriptor class to create high-quality custom markers.

Drawing Polygons and Polylines

• Issue: Defining the correct coordinates and ensuring shapes rendered properly on the map was challenging.
• Solution: I learned how to define LatLng points for these shapes and used debugging tools to verify that coordinates were accurate.

Real-Time Location Updates

• Issue: Continuously tracking and updating the user’s location while animating the camera was tricky to implement efficiently.
• Solution: I used the location package to fetch location updates and optimized performance by debouncing location changes to avoid excessive camera updates.

Error Handling

• Issue: Handling errors like invalid API keys or network issues without crashing the app required extra effort.
• Solution: I implemented try-catch blocks and added SnackBars to provide descriptive error messages, ensuring the app gracefully handled errors.

Performance Optimization

• Issue: Rendering multiple markers and handling real-time updates caused occasional lag.
• Solution: It is yet to be tackled but I will optimise the app by batching updates, using lightweight assets, and avoiding redundant UI redraws.

Future Enhancements

• Advanced Search Features: Users can search for specific places or addresses directly on the map.
• Enhanced InfoWindow: Add interactive graphs, videos, or additional context to marker InfoWindows.
• Clustered Markers: Automatically group markers in high-density areas for cleaner map visualization.
• Multi-Stop Routing: Implement advanced route planning with multiple stops along the way.

Installation

Clone the Repository:

• git clone <repository_url>

Install Dependencies:

• flutter pub get

Configure Google Maps API Key:

• Add your Google Maps API key in the Config.googleMapKey variable.

Run the App:

• flutter run

Note

• Use your Google Map Key by creating in Google Cloud and enabling Maps SDK for Android and iOS API and services.
• To use the features of Google Maps make sure you enable all the necessary permissions.
• Currently, all the permissions are active for only Android Devices.
• To run this application on iOS platforms make sure you add all the necessary permissions.

Usage Flow

Launch the App:

• Displays a splash screen and requests location permissions.
• If permissions are denied, an error message appears, prompting users to enable them.

Map Display:

• Shows the map with the user’s current location.
• Users can toggle between map styles (Standard, Retro, Night).

Markers:

• Add multiple markers to the map.
• Tapping on markers displays their InfoWindow with interactive elements.

Routing:

• Draw routes between locations using PolylinePoints.
• Allows dynamic route creation based on the selected waypoints.

Dynamic Location Tracking:

• Continuously tracks and updates the user’s location.
• Animates the camera to follow the user.

Packages Used

• google_maps_flutter: Integrates Google Maps into the Flutter application.
• custom_info_window: Customizes InfoWindows for map markers.
• flutter_polyline_points: Generates polylines for routes between coordinates.
• geocoding: Converts geographic coordinates into addresses.
• location: Accesses and tracks the user’s location.
• permission_handler Manages permissions for location access.
• cupertino_icons: Provides additional icons for the user interface.
• flutter_plugin_android_lifecycle: Ensures compatibility with Android lifecycle changes.

Tech Stack

• Flutter: The primary framework for building the mobile application.
• Dart: The programming language used with Flutter.
• Google Map Key: To run the map on devices.

Feedback

• If you have any feedback, please reach out to me at [email protected]
• If you face an issue, then open an issue in a GitHub repository.

Contributing

• Contributions are always welcome!

Fork the Repository:

• Go to the original repository on GitHub or GitLab.
• Click the "Fork" button. This creates a copy of the repository under your account.

Create a New Branch:

• Clone your forked repository to your local machine: git clone <your_fork_url>
• Create a new branch for your feature: git checkout -b feature-branch
• Replace feature-branch with a descriptive name for your changes (e.g., fix-bug, add-feature).

Make Changes and Commit:

• Make the necessary changes to the code in your local feature-branch.
• Stage the changes: git add (or git add . to stage all changes)
• Commit the changes with a clear message: git commit -m "Add new feature"
• Use a descriptive and concise message that explains the changes.

Push Changes to Your Fork:

• Push your feature-branch to your remote repository: git push origin feature-branch

Create a Pull Request:

• Go back to the original repository on GitHub or GitLab.
• Click the "New Pull Request" button.
• Select your feature-branch as the source and the original repository's main or develop branch as the target.
• Provide a clear description of your changes and why they are needed.
• Submit the pull request.

Conclusion

This project showcases a comprehensive implementation of Google Maps in Flutter, with features ranging from dynamic location tracking to interactive map elements like markers, polygons, and polylines. It provides a foundation for building sophisticated map-based applications with rich features and user-friendly designs.