Feature request: Drop-in replacement for Google Maps API v2

[barbeau]

Description

I maintain several open-source Android projects that have Map components, and in each of them I've implemented Google Maps API v2 and/or Amazon Maps API v2.

I'd love to have a pure OSS build that works on AOSP devices, but the main obstacle has always been a drop-in replacement for the Maps API v2. Using Gradle build flavors, I have the OneBusAway project set up to easily generate code for any platform that has class/method parity with the Maps API v2 - currently Google and Amazon devices are supported.

Is class/method parity for the Google Maps API v2 (i.e., a drop-in replacement) on the roadmap for the Mapzen Android SDK?

If so, I'd happily add it to my apps :).

Related issues in open-source projects:

• OneBusAway
• OpenTripPlanner Android
• GPSTest

Steps to Reproduce

N/A

Mapzen SDK & Android Version

N/A

[ecgreb]

Class/method parity with the Google Maps API is not one of the primary goals of this project however it is something we have given some thought.

The Mapzen Android SDK and Tangram ES offer a degree of flexibility and customization (switching styles, feature selection, etc) that is not possible in Google Maps and requires a unique API. There are also many parts of the Google Maps API we don't currently support (street view, satellite, etc.)

We have talked about possibly adding an alternate API or "adapter" layer that covers common functionality from the Google Maps API so developers could use Mapzen as a drop-in replacement.

In this scenario you would trade some flexibility and customization for a more similar API. However given the differences in the two rendering engines this would be a non-trivial amount of work and would add overhead to the project in that it would require maintaining two distinct APIs.

We're definitely open to feedback on this topic and of course pull requests are always welcome if you wanted to give this approach a try as an experiment.

[barbeau]

@ecgreb Ok, thanks for the response! Yes, a wrapper/adapter API layer over Mapzen API is what I was thinking. Amazon Maps API v2 has a number of methods for non-critical functionality that are just stubbed out to allow code to compile, but always return the same values:
https://developer.amazon.com/public/apis/experience/maps/docs-v2/differences-between-amazon-maps-api-v2-and-google-maps-api-v2

I'm thinking a similar minimal viable product, something that doesn't have all the bells and whistles but would allow us to offer a pure OSS alternative for users concerned about privacy/tracking of the Google (or Amazon) software suite.

I don't think I'd have enough bandwidth to pull this together myself in my free time (although I'd love to), but there might be other options out there. Does Mapzen participate in Google Summer of Code? Seems like this might be something they would fund for a student for the summer - we've been successful the last few years getting funding for students to work on projects related to OpenTripPlanner, OneBusAway, and TransiTime.