The Complete Mapbox Tutorial: Learn Mapping in 4 Hours

We all know paper maps are a thing of the past, but have you noticed how interactive Internet-based maps have basically replaced special navigation devices in recent years? It’s not too surprising, though. An online map can display updates in real time, which allows you to see not just the quickest route, but also ongoing roadworks, traffic jams, and other factors that can affect your trip.

While Google Maps is probably the most famous mapping system, there are other worthy contenders on the market. Mapbox is perhaps one of the most prominent players in the field. Among the applications using its maps, you will find Facebook, Snapchat, Foursquare, and a bunch of other giants. In this informative course, I will tell you all about Mapbox.

Following thirty fast-paced lectures of this Mapbox tutorial, developers, designers, business owners, and everyone interested in getting better at creating interactive maps will learn how to use Mapbox without breaking a sweat.

Mapbox, Mapbox Studio, and Mapbox GL JS – what’s this all about?

Before we get into this Mapbox tutorial, we should clear the confusion about the names of software. There are actually three systems we’re going to learn: Mapbox, Mapbox Studio, and Mapbox GL JS. What’s the difference? Let’s see.

Mapbox is a platform that provides interactive maps to applications and websites. To customize the style of the map, we use Mapbox Studio – an online style editor. It allows you to upload unique icons, add layers, edit components, and publish the final result. Now, Mapbox GL JS is a JavaScript library that applies a Mapbox style to vector tiles and renders them.

In this Mapbox tutorial, I will make sure to explain each of these systems. We’ll discuss their strengths and weaknesses, examine their components, and learn the essential principles. Note that while the interface you see in the video lectures might be a bit different from the most current version of the software, the main concepts remain, and you will be able to perform all the same steps without hassle.

What exactly will we go through in these four hours?

I will start my Mapbox tutorial by introducing you to the software we’ll be working on. Then, we’ll move to geographic data. Some would say this is actually the foundation for learning how to use Mapbox. You will find out to find good data sources and work with the data itself.

The next two sections of the course could be called a Mapbox Studio tutorial on their own. You will learn all the main steps in styling a beautiful map, including but not limited to line, text, and symbol styling, creating breakpoints, and working with layers. I will explain how to make your data filterable by properties as well.

Last but not least, we will learn all you need to know about Mapbox GL JS. Sources, layers, markers, events, and more – I will make sure each and every step in the process is clear, and you get a firm grasp of creating interactive maps after taking this Mapbox tutorial!