This morning I used to be requested by an acquaintance if I might create a fast map of Mar-a-Lago that includes quite a lot of purple markers. The picture above is the outcome. As no cash was paid for this map be happy to breed it and share it on social media with no accreditation.
The funds for this challenge was zero.
To be trustworthy there may be nothing notably thrilling in regards to the map – however I assumed it is perhaps value explaining how I created a map at pace for a good friend – and for no value (aside from half-hour of my time)!
For those who’re seeking to construct an interactive map with out counting on costly APIs or proprietary platforms, MapLibre GL JS and OpenFreeMap supply a strong, totally open-source resolution. For this challenge, I created a full-screen, 3D-tilted map with customized markers and for gratis. Right here is how:
🔧 Instruments Used
MapLibre GL JS – A community-driven fork of Mapbox GL JS, free and open-source.
OpenFreeMap – A supply without cost vector tile kinds, preferrred for high-performance customized maps.
Bing AI Picture Creator – Used to design a singular marker icon utilizing generative AI, utterly free.
🧭 The Map
Utilizing MapLibre, I initialized a map with the next options:
- Full-screen show with no padding or scrollbars
- A digicam tilt (pitch: 60) and rotation (bearing: 270) to offer a dramatic 3D impact
- Excessive zoom degree (zoom: 19) for street-level element
- Free Liberty-style vector tiles from OpenFreeMap
📍 Customized Marker with AI-Generated Picture
As an alternative of utilizing the default pin the consumer needed a map marker that resembled markers utilized by sure crime maps. I created a customized marker utilizing an AI-generated picture from Bing Picture Creator.
🧪 Strive It Your self
All it takes is a single HTML file and a little bit of CSS and JavaScript. Whether or not you are constructing a retailer locator, historic map, or knowledge visualization, this stack offers you full management – with out vendor lock-in or utilization limits.
And be happy to share the Mar-a-Lago map above anyplace you need.
