Google Maps Interview Questions & Answers

Question 1. What Are The Google Maps Apis?

Answer :

The Google Maps APIs give developers several ways of embedding Google Maps into web pages or retrieving data from Google Maps, and allow for either simple use or extensive customization. There are several API offerings:

Web APIs:

• Google Maps JavaScript API
• Google Static Maps API
• Google Street View Image API
• Google Maps Embed API

Web service APIs:

• Google Maps Directions API
• Google Maps Distance Matrix API
• Google Maps Elevation API
• Google Maps Geocoding API
• Google Maps Geolocation API
• Google Maps Roads API
• Google Maps Time Zone API
• Google Places API Web Service

Mobile APIs:

• Google Maps Android API
• Google Places API for Android
• Google Maps SDK for iOS
• Google Places API for iOS

Question 2. Which Api Do I Need?

Answer :

For help in finding the right API based on your functional requirements.

Question 3. What Is Api Picker?

Answer :

The API picker lists the most common things you may want to do on a map or with location-based data, and suggests the API that most suits your needs.

Question 4. What Countries Do The Google Maps Apis Cover?

Answer :

The Google Maps team is constantly pushing new map data out and increasing our international coverage. Consult the Google Maps coverage data for the latest coverage information. You can filter the data with the filter box at the top of the page. Please note that coverage data can change if licensing agreements with the data providers change.

Question 5. Can I Put Google Maps On My Site Without Using The Google Maps Apis?

Answer :

Yes. Google Maps now offers the ability to embed the map that you're viewing into your website or blog, without any programming or use of the Google Maps APIs.

Question 6. Can I Generate A Map Image Using The Google Static Maps Api Which I Store And Serve From My Website?

Answer :

You may not store and serve copies of images generated using the Google Static Maps API from your website. All web pages that require static images must link the src attribute of an HTML img tag or the CSS background-image attribute of an HTML div tag directly to the Google Static Maps API so that all map images are displayed within the HTML content of the web page and served directly to end users by Google.

Question 7. What Information Is Sent To Google When I Use The Maps Javascript Api?

Answer :

When using the Maps JavaScript API, the following information is sent to Google:

• Map size and location for retrieving map tiles and copyrights
• Addresses for geocoding
• Direction and Elevation requests
• Locations around which to search for Places
• KML when using KmlLayer

Question 8. Can I Disable The Link On The Google Logo Displayed On A Maps Javascript Api Map?

Answer :

If you are using a client ID with a Google Maps APIs Premium Plan license, you can use the following option to remove the link from the Google logo shown on the map. You must limit usage of this option to cases where the logo link creates a negative user experience. (An example is a mobile app featuring a fullscreen view where clicking on the logo takes the user away from the original content of the app, with no way to go back.) You must ensure that the logo and copyright notice aren't hidden or covered up.

map.setOptions({passiveLogo: true});

The logo remains visible but is not clickable.

This option is available by default to all Premium Plan customers using a client ID. 

Question 9. Should I Purchase The Google Maps Apis Premium Plan?

Answer :

You should purchase the Google Maps APIs Premium Plan if your business or organization requires any of the following:

• An SLA with 24-hour technical support
• Ability to sell a product or service with embedded Google Maps
• Ability to use Google Maps APIs for an internal application or website
• A specific amount of quota
• Ability to use Google Maps APIs (excluding the Places API) for asset tracking applications
• Premium Plan features available with your existing Maps APIs for Work license

Question 10. Why Do The Google Maps Apis Geocoders Provide Different Locations Than Google Maps?

Answer :

The API geocoder and Google Maps geocoder sometimes use different data sets (depending on the country). The API geocoder occasionally gets updated with new data, so you can expect to see results changing or improving over time.

Question 11. How Should I Format My Geocoder Queries To Maximise The Number Of Successful Requests?

Answer :

The geocoder is designed to map street addresses to geographical coordinates. We therefore recommend that you format geocoder requests in accordance with the following guidelines to maximize the likelihood of a successful query:

• Specify addresses in accordance with the format used by the national postal service of the country concerned.
• Do not specify additional address elements such as business names, unit numbers, floor numbers, or suite numbers that are not included in the address as defined by the postal service of the country concerned. Doing so may result in responses with ZERO_RESULTS.
• Use the street number of a premise in preference to the building name where possible.
• Use street number addressing in preference to specifying cross streets where possible.
• Do not provide 'hints' such as nearby landmarks.

Question 12. What Are The Limits On The Size And Complexity Of Kml That Can Be Displayed Using The Kmllayer Class Of The Google Maps Javascript Api?

Answer :

The size and complexity limits on the display of KML using the KmlLayer class

Question 13. Can I Access The Maps And Satellite Images Directly?

Answer :

You may not access the maps or satellite images through any mechanism besides the Google Maps APIs (such as the creation of your own mapping API or the use of a bulk tile download script). Your application's access to the tiles will be blocked if it accesses them outside of the Google Maps APIs.

Question 14. Which Google Maps Apis Have Usage Limits?

Answer :

Google Maps APIs are free for a wide variety of use cases, with complimentary usage limits and predictable overage pricing for use of the standard APIs, and annual contracts available for enterprise deployments.

The following APIs do not have usage limits:

• Google Maps Android API
• Google Maps SDK for iOS
• Google Maps Embed API

Usage limits apply to the following Maps APIs. Click the API to view its usage limits details:

• Google Maps JavaScript API
• Google Static Maps API
• Google Street View Image API
• Google Maps Directions API
• Google Maps Distance Matrix API
• Google Maps Elevation API
• Google Maps Geocoding API
• Google Maps Geolocation API
• Google Maps Roads API
• Google Maps Time Zone API

Question 15. How Can I Opt Out Of Including My Content In Google Search Results?

Answer :

We are no longer collecting this data. The use of the indexing parameter has been deprecated and has no effect. You no longer need to opt out explicitly, but we encourage you to remove this parameter at your earliest convenience.

Question 16. Can I Use Screen Shots Of A Google Maps Apis Application In Printed Materials Or Offline Media?

Answer :

Use of Google Maps imagery in printed materials and offline media is subject to the Permission Guidelines published at:

http://www.google.com/permissions/geoguidelines.html

Question 17. Can I Use The Google Maps Apis On A Site That Is Password Protected?

Answer :

Yes, you can, though you should consult the Google Maps APIs Terms of Service before using the Google Maps APIs on a password protected website. If consumers can easily sign up for a password without charge or if the purpose of the password protected map is to enhance the publicly available map (ie. administration), then your site is likely within the Google Maps APIs Terms of Service.

Question 18. Can I Use Google Maps In My Non-web Application?

Answer :

Yes, the Google Maps APIs can now be used in desktop applications, provided that they adhere to the other restrictions of the Google Maps APIs Terms of Service. Note that in order for a desktop application to be deemed "publicly accessible", there must be a publicly accessible webpage from which it can be downloaded.

Question 19. How Are Map Loads Applied Against The Usage Limits For Google Maps Apis For Web?

Answer :

A single map load is charged when any of the following occur:

• A web page or application displays a map using the Google Maps JavaScript API.
• A web page or application displays a Google Street View Image API panorama using the Google Maps JavaScript API. If a Street View panorama replaces a map in the same div element, the panorama is not charged.
• An application requests a single map image from the Google Static Maps API.
• An application requests a single panorama image from the Google Street View Image API.
• After a web page or application loads a map, a static map image, or a Street View panorama, any user interactions with it, such as panning, zooming, or switching map layers, do not generate additional map loads or affect usage limits.

Question 20. What Is The Maximum Number Of Markers Or Path Vertices Supported By The Google Static Maps Api?

Answer :

There is no limit to the number of markers or path vertices supported by the Google Static Maps API. When using custom icons, up to five unique icons can be specified per request, but each can be used multiple times within the map.

Note that Google Static Maps API URLs can contain a maximum of approximately 2,000 characters which constrains the number of markers and path vertices that can be specified based on the number of decimal places used when specifying each latitude/longitude pair.

Question 21. Can I Print Maps From The Javascript Api?

Answer :

Printing from the JavaScript API is not supported. This is because printing support is inconsistent across commonly used browsers. We recommend using the Static Maps API for printing purposes.

Question 22. Why Can't I Access Google Maps Apis From China?

Answer :

The Google Maps APIs are served within China from the domain maps.google.cn. This domain does not support https. When making requests to the Google Maps APIs from China, please replace https://maps.googleapis.com with http://maps.google.cn.

For example:

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=1600+Amphitheatre+Parkway,+Mountain+View,+CA

would become:

http://maps.google.cn/maps/api/geocode/json?address=1600+Amphitheatre+Parkway,+Mountain+View,+CA

The Google Maps JavaScript API can be loaded with the following bootstrap:
<script src="http://maps.google.cn/maps/api/js?key=YOUR_API_KEY"
type="text/javascript">
</script>