The '''Google Maps API''' was created by Google to facilitate developers integrating [[Google Maps]] into their web sites, with their own data points. It is a free service, that currently does not contain ads, but Google states in their terms of use <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/apis/maps/terms.html |title=Google Maps API - Terms of use}}</ref> that they reserve the right to display ads in the future.
By using the Google Maps [[API]] you can embed the full Google Maps on an external web site (minus driving directions and KML). Start by creating an API Key <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/apis/maps/signup.html |title=Google Maps API key}}</ref>, it will be bound to the web site and directory you enter when creating the key. Creating your own map interface involves adding the Google [[JavaScript]] code to your page, and then using Javascript functions to add points to the map.
When the API first launched it lacked the ability to [[geocoding|geocode]] addresses, requiring you to manually add points in (latitude, longitude) format. This has since been rectified.
At the same time as the release of the Google Maps API, [[Yahoo!]] released their own Maps API <ref>{{cite web|url=http://developer.yahoo.com/maps/index.html |title=Yahoo! Maps API}}</ref> . Both were released to coincide with the O'Reilly Where 2.0 Conference. Yahoo! Maps lacks international support and aerial photos, but included a geocoder in the first release.
==See also==
* [[Google Maps]]
==References==
<references/>
{{Google Inc.}}
== External links ==
* [http://www.google.com/apis/maps/ Google Maps API]
* [http://www.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/ Google Maps API Documentation]
* [http://www.mapki.com/ GoogleMapki] Reference for Google Maps Developers
* [http://googlemapsbook.com/ Google Maps Book] A site about developing your own Google Maps API Applications.
