Free Interactive Maps With Leaflet.js 2025

## Installation, Basic Map, Markers, and Layers: Getting Started with Interactive Maps

In this post, we will explore the essential steps to create interactive maps, starting from scratch. We will cover the installation of a popular library, the creation of a base map, and the addition of important elements such as markers and layers.

The first step is to install the library we will use to build our maps. There are several options, but for this tutorial, we will use [Library name]. To install, open the terminal or command prompt and run the following command:

Replace [library name] with the actual name of the library (e.g., folium, leaflet, etc.). Wait for the installation to complete.

With the library installed, we can create our base map. Let's start with a simple map, centered on a specific location. See the example code:

This code imports the library, defines the coordinates of a location, and creates a map object. The zoom_start function defines the initial zoom level. Finally, the map is displayed, either by saving it to an HTML file or showing it directly in an interactive environment.

Markers are essential for indicating points of interest on the map. Let's add some markers to our base map:

This code adds two markers to the map. Each marker is created with its location, popup text, and hint (tooltip). The .add_to(mapa) method adds each marker to the map.

Layers allow you to visualize additional information on the map, such as polygons, lines, or data from different sources. Let's add a simple layer, such as a polygon:

This example adds a red polygon to the map. The Polygon function receives the coordinates of the vertices, defines the color and fill, and the .add_to(mapa) method adds the layer to the map.

Source: Dev.to