--- layout: api title: "v2.1.7 JavaScript Library: L.Map" categories: api version: v2.1.7 permalink: /api/v2.1.7/l-map-class ---

## Map

The central class of the API — it is used to create a map on a page and manipulate it.

### Usage example

    // initialize the map on the "map" div with a given center and zoom
    var map = L.map('map', {
    	center: [51.505, -0.09],
    	zoom: 13
    });

### Creation

Factory | Description
--- | ---
`L.map( <HTMLElement|String> id, <Map options> options? )` | Instantiates a map object given a div element (or its id) and optionally an object literal with map options described below.

### Options

#### Map State Options

Option | Type | Default | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
`center` | `LatLng` | `null` | Initial geographical center of the map.
`zoom` | `Number` | `null` | Initial map zoom.
`layers` | `ILayer[]` | `null` | Layers that will be added to the map initially.
`minZoom` | `Number` | `null` | Minimum zoom level of the map. Overrides any `minZoom` set on map layers.
`maxZoom` | `Number` | `null` | Maximum zoom level of the map. This overrides any `maxZoom` set on map layers.
`maxBounds` | `LatLngBounds` | `null` | When this option is set, the map restricts the view to the given geographical bounds, bouncing the user back when he tries to pan outside the view. To set the restriction dynamically, use setMaxBounds method
`crs` | `CRS` | `L.CRS. EPSG3857` | Coordinate Reference System to use. Don't change this if you're not sure what it means.

#### Interaction Options

Option | Type | Default | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
`dragging` | `Boolean` | `true` | Whether the map be draggable with mouse/touch or not.
`touchZoom` | `Boolean` | `true` | Whether the map can be zoomed by touch-dragging with two fingers.
`scrollWheelZoom` | `Boolean` | `true` | Whether the map can be zoomed by using the mouse wheel. If passed `'center'`, it will zoom to the center of the view regardless of where the mouse was.
`doubleClickZoom` | `Boolean` | `true` | Whether the map can be zoomed in by double clicking on it and zoomed out by double clicking while holding shift. If passed `'center'`, double-click zoom will zoom to the center of the view regardless of where the mouse was.
`boxZoom` | `Boolean` | `true` | Whether the map can be zoomed to a rectangular area specified by dragging the mouse while pressing shift.
`tap` | `Boolean` | `true` | Enables mobile hacks for supporting instant taps (fixing 200ms click delay on iOS/Android) and touch holds (fired as `contextmenu` events).
`tapTolerance` | `Number` | `15` | The max number of pixels a user can shift his finger during touch for it to be considered a valid tap.
`trackResize` | `Boolean` | `true` | Whether the map automatically handles browser window resize to update itself.
`worldCopyJump` | `Boolean` | `false` | With this option enabled, the map tracks when you pan to another "copy" of the world and seamlessly jumps to the original one so that all overlays like markers and vector layers are still visible.
`closePopupOnClick` | `Boolean` | `true` | Set it to `false` if you don't want popups to close when user clicks the map.
`bounceAtZoomLimits` | `Boolean` | `true` | Set it to `false` if you don't want the map to zoom beyond min/max zoom and then bounce back when pinch-zooming.

#### Keyboard Navigation Options

Option | Type | Default | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
`keyboard` | `Boolean` | `true` | Makes the map focusable and allows users to navigate the map with keyboard arrows and `+`/`-` keys.
`keyboardPanOffset` | `Number` | `80` | Amount of pixels to pan when pressing an arrow key.
`keyboardZoomOffset` | `Number` | `1` | Number of zoom levels to change when pressing `+` or `-` key.

#### Panning Inertia Options

Option | Type | Default | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
`inertia` | `Boolean` | `true` | If enabled, panning of the map will have an inertia effect where the map builds momentum while dragging and continues moving in the same direction for some time. Feels especially nice on touch devices.
`inertiaDeceleration` | `Number` | `3000` | The rate with which the inertial movement slows down, in pixels/second2.
`inertiaMaxSpeed` | `Number` | `1500` | Max speed of the inertial movement, in pixels/second.
`inertiaThreshold` | `Number` | `depends` | Number of milliseconds that should pass between stopping the movement and releasing the mouse or touch to prevent inertial movement. `32` for touch devices and `14` for the rest by default.

#### Control options

Option | Type | Default | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
`zoomControl` | `Boolean` | `true` | Whether the zoom control is added to the map by default.
`attributionControl` | `Boolean` | `true` | Whether the attribution control is added to the map by default.

#### Animation options

Option | Type | Default | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
`fadeAnimation` | `Boolean` | depends | Whether the tile fade animation is enabled. By default it's enabled in all browsers that support CSS3 Transitions except Android.
`zoomAnimation` | `Boolean` | depends | Whether the tile zoom animation is enabled. By default it's enabled in all browsers that support CSS3 Transitions except Android.
`zoomAnimationThreshold` | `Number` | 4 | Won't animate zoom if the zoom difference exceeds this value.
`markerZoomAnimation` | `Boolean` | depends | Whether markers animate their zoom with the zoom animation, if disabled they will disappear for the length of the animation. By default it's enabled in all browsers that support CSS3 Transitions except Android.

### Events

You can subscribe to the following events using these methods.

Event | Data | Description
--- | --- | ---
`click` | `MouseEvent` | Fired when the user clicks (or taps) the map.
`dblclick` | `MouseEvent` | Fired when the user double-clicks (or double-taps) the map.
`mousedown` | `MouseEvent` | Fired when the user pushes the mouse button on the map.
`mouseup` | `MouseEvent` | Fired when the user pushes the mouse button on the map.
`mouseover` | `MouseEvent` | Fired when the mouse enters the map.
`mouseout` | `MouseEvent` | Fired when the mouse leaves the map.
`mousemove` | `MouseEvent` | Fired while the mouse moves over the map.
`contextmenu` | `MouseEvent` | Fired when the user pushes the right mouse button on the map, prevents default browser context menu from showing if there are listeners on this event. Also fired on mobile when the user holds a single touch for a second (also called long press).
`focus` | `Event` | Fired when the user focuses the map either by tabbing to it or clicking/panning.
`blur` | `Event` | Fired when the map looses focus.
`preclick` | `MouseEvent` | Fired before mouse click on the map (sometimes useful when you want something to happen on click before any existing click handlers start running).
`load` | `Event` | Fired when the map is initialized (when its center and zoom are set for the first time).
`unload` | `Event` | Fired when the map is destroyed with remove method.
`viewreset` | `Event` | Fired when the map needs to redraw its content (this usually happens on map zoom or load). Very useful for creating custom overlays.
`movestart` | `Event` | Fired when the view of the map starts changing (e.g. user starts dragging the map).
`move` | `Event` | Fired on any movement of the map view.
`moveend` | `Event` | Fired when the view of the map ends changed (e.g. user stopped dragging the map).
`dragstart` | `Event` | Fired when the user starts dragging the map.
`drag` | `Event` | Fired repeatedly while the user drags the map.
`dragend` | `DragEndEvent` | Fired when the user stops dragging the map.
`zoomstart` | `Event` | Fired when the map zoom is about to change (e.g. before zoom animation).
`zoomend` | `Event` | Fired when the map zoom changes.
`zoomlevelschange` | `Event` | Fired when the number of zoomlevels on the map is changed due to adding or removing a layer.
`resize` | `ResizeEvent` | Fired when the map is resized.
`autopanstart` | `Event` | Fired when the map starts autopanning when opening a popup.
`layeradd` | `LayerEvent` | Fired when a new layer is added to the map.
`layerremove` | `LayerEvent` | Fired when some layer is removed from the map.
`baselayerchange` | `LayerEvent` | Fired when the base layer is changed through the layer control.
`overlayadd` | `LayerEvent` | Fired when an overlay is selected through the layer control.
`overlayremove` | `LayerEvent` | Fired when an overlay is deselected through the layer control.
`locationfound` | `LocationEvent` | Fired when geolocation (using the locate method) went successfully.
`locationerror` | `ErrorEvent` | Fired when geolocation (using the locate method) failed.
`popupopen` | `PopupEvent` | Fired when a popup is opened (using `openPopup` method).
`popupclose` | `PopupEvent` | Fired when a popup is closed (using `closePopup` method).

### Methods for Modifying Map State

Method | Returns | Description
--- | --- | ---
`setView( <LatLng> center, <Number> zoom?, <zoom/pan options> options? )` | `this` | Sets the view of the map (geographical center and zoom) with the given animation options.
`setZoom( <Number> zoom, <zoom options> options? )` | `this` | Sets the zoom of the map.
`zoomIn( <Number> delta?, <zoom options> options? )` | `this` | Increases the zoom of the map by `delta` (`1` by default).
`zoomOut( <Number> delta?, <zoom options> options? )` | `this` | Decreases the zoom of the map by `delta` (`1` by default).
`setZoomAround( <LatLng> latlng, <Number> zoom, <zoom options> options? )` | `this` | Zooms the map while keeping a specified point on the map stationary (e.g. used internally for scroll zoom and double-click zoom).
`fitBounds( <LatLngBounds> bounds, <fitBounds options> options? )` | `this` | Sets a map view that contains the given geographical bounds with the maximum zoom level possible.
`fitWorld( <fitBounds options> options? )` | `this` | Sets a map view that mostly contains the whole world with the maximum zoom level possible.
`panTo( <LatLng> latlng, <pan options> options? )` | `this` | Pans the map to a given center. Makes an animated pan if new center is not more than one screen away from the current one.
`panInsideBounds( <LatLngBounds> bounds, <pan options> options? )` | `this` | Pans the map to the closest view that would lie inside the given bounds (if it's not already), controlling the animation using the options specific, if any.
`panBy( <Point> point, <pan options> options? )` | `this` | Pans the map by a given number of pixels (animated).
`invalidateSize( <Boolean> animate )` | `this` | Checks if the map container size changed and updates the map if so — call it after you've changed the map size dynamically, also animating pan by default.
`invalidateSize( <zoom/pan options> options )` | `this` | Checks if the map container size changed and updates the map if so — call it after you've changed the map size dynamically, also animating pan by default. If `options.pan` is `false`, panning will not occur. If `options.debounceMoveend` is `true`, it will delay `moveend` event so that it doesn't happen often even if the method is called many times in a row.
`setMaxBounds( <LatLngBounds> bounds` | `this` | Restricts the map view to the given bounds (see map maxBounds option).
`locate( <Locate options> options? )` | `this` | Tries to locate the user using the Geolocation API, firing a `locationfound` event with location data on success or a `locationerror` event on failure, and optionally sets the map view to the user's location with respect to detection accuracy (or to the world view if geolocation failed). See Locate options for more details.
`stopLocate()` | `this` | Stops watching location previously initiated by `map.locate({watch: true})` and aborts resetting the map view if `map.locate` was called with `{setView: true}`.
`remove()` | `this` | Destroys the map and clears all related event listeners.

### Methods for Getting Map State

Method | Returns | Description
--- | --- | ---
`getCenter()` | `LatLng` | Returns the geographical center of the map view.
`getZoom()` | `Number` | Returns the current zoom of the map view.
`getMinZoom()` | `Number` | Returns the minimum zoom level of the map.
`getMaxZoom()` | `Number` | Returns the maximum zoom level of the map.
`getBounds()` | `LatLngBounds` | Returns the LatLngBounds of the current map view.
`getBoundsZoom( <LatLngBounds> bounds, <Boolean> inside? )` | `Number` | Returns the maximum zoom level on which the given bounds fit to the map view in its entirety. If `inside` (optional) is set to `true`, the method instead returns the minimum zoom level on which the map view fits into the given bounds in its entirety.
`getSize()` | `Point` | Returns the current size of the map container.
`getPixelBounds()` | `Bounds` | Returns the bounds of the current map view in projected pixel coordinates (sometimes useful in layer and overlay implementations).
`getPixelOrigin()` | `Point` | Returns the projected pixel coordinates of the top left point of the map layer (useful in custom layer and overlay implementations).

### Methods for Layers and Controls

Method | Returns | Description
--- | --- | ---
`addLayer( <ILayer> layer, <Boolean> insertAtTheBottom? )` | `this` | Adds the given layer to the map. If optional `insertAtTheBottom` is set to `true`, the layer is inserted under all others (useful when switching base tile layers).
`removeLayer( <ILayer> layer )` | `this` | Removes the given layer from the map.
`hasLayer( <ILayer> layer )` | `Boolean` | Returns `true` if the given layer is currently added to the map.
`eachLayer( <Function> fn, <Object> context? )` | `this` | Iterates over the layers of the map, optionally specifying context of the iterator function.
    map.eachLayer(function (layer) {
    	layer.bindPopup('Hello');
    });
`openPopup( <Popup> popup )` | `this` | Opens the specified popup while closing the previously opened (to make sure only one is opened at one time for usability).
`openPopup( <String> html | <HTMLElement> el, <LatLng> latlng, <Popup options> options? )` | `this` | Creates a popup with the specified options and opens it in the given point on a map.
`closePopup( <Popup> popup? )` | `this` | Closes the popup previously opened with openPopup (or the given one).
`addControl( <IControl> control )` | `this` | Adds the given control to the map.
`removeControl( <IControl> control )` | `this` | Removes the given control from the map.

### Conversion Methods

Method | Returns | Description
--- | --- | ---
`latLngToLayerPoint( <LatLng> latlng )` | `Point` | Returns the map layer point that corresponds to the given geographical coordinates (useful for placing overlays on the map).
`layerPointToLatLng( <Point> point )` | `LatLng` | Returns the geographical coordinates of a given map layer point.
`containerPointToLayerPoint( <Point> point )` | `Point` | Converts the point relative to the map container to a point relative to the map layer.
`layerPointToContainerPoint( <Point> point )` | `Point` | Converts the point relative to the map layer to a point relative to the map container.
`latLngToContainerPoint( <LatLng> latlng )` | `Point` | Returns the map container point that corresponds to the given geographical coordinates.
`containerPointToLatLng( <Point> point )` | `LatLng` | Returns the geographical coordinates of a given map container point.
`project( <LatLng> latlng, <Number> zoom? )` | `Point` | Projects the given geographical coordinates to absolute pixel coordinates for the given zoom level (current zoom level by default).
`unproject( <Point> point, <Number> zoom? )` | `LatLng` | Projects the given absolute pixel coordinates to geographical coordinates for the given zoom level (current zoom level by default).
`mouseEventToContainerPoint( <MouseEvent> event )` | `Point` | Returns the pixel coordinates of a mouse click (relative to the top left corner of the map) given its event object.
`mouseEventToLayerPoint( <MouseEvent> event )` | `Point` | Returns the pixel coordinates of a mouse click relative to the map layer given its event object.
`mouseEventToLatLng( <MouseEvent> event )` | `LatLng` | Returns the geographical coordinates of the point the mouse clicked on given the click's event object.

### Other Methods

Method | Returns | Description
--- | --- | ---
`getContainer()` | `HTMLElement` | Returns the container element of the map.
`getPanes()` | `MapPanes` | Returns an object with different map panes (to render overlays in).
`whenReady( <Function> fn, <Object> context? )` | `this` | Runs the given callback when the map gets initialized with a place and zoom, or immediately if it happened already, optionally passing a function context.

### Locate options

Option | Type | Default | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
`watch` | `Boolean` | `false` | If `true`, starts continous watching of location changes (instead of detecting it once) using W3C `watchPosition` method. You can later stop watching using `map.stopLocate()` method.
`setView` | `Boolean` | `false` | If `true`, automatically sets the map view to the user location with respect to detection accuracy, or to world view if geolocation failed.
`maxZoom` | `Number` | `Infinity` | The maximum zoom for automatic view setting when using `setView` option.
`timeout` | `Number` | `10000` | Number of milliseconds to wait for a response from geolocation before firing a `locationerror` event.
`maximumAge` | `Number` | `0` | Maximum age of detected location. If less than this amount of milliseconds passed since last geolocation response, `locate` will return a cached location.
`enableHighAccuracy` | `Boolean` | `false` | Enables high accuracy, see description in the W3C spec.

### Zoom/pan options

Option | Type | Default | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
`reset` | `Boolean` | `false` | If `true`, the map view will be completely reset (without any animations).
`pan` | `pan options` | `-` | Sets the options for the panning (without the zoom change) if it occurs.
`zoom` | `zoom options` | `-` | Sets the options for the zoom change if it occurs.
`animate` | `Boolean` | `-` | An equivalent of passing `animate` to both zoom and pan options (see below).

### Pan options

Option | Type | Default | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
`animate` | `Boolean` | `-` | If `true`, panning will always be animated if possible. If `false`, it will not animate panning, either resetting the map view if panning more than a screen away, or just setting a new offset for the map pane (except for `panBy` which always does the latter).
`duration` | `Number` | `0.25` | Duration of animated panning.
`easeLinearity` | `Number` | `0.25` | The curvature factor of panning animation easing (third parameter of the Cubic Bezier curve). 1.0 means linear animation, the less the more bowed the curve.
`noMoveStart` | `Boolean` | `false` | If `true`, panning won't fire `movestart` event on start (used internally for panning inertia).

### Zoom options

Option | Type | Default | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
`animate` | `Boolean` | `-` | If not specified, zoom animation will happen if the zoom origin is inside the current view. If `true`, the map will attempt animating zoom disregarding where zoom origin is. Setting `false` will make it always reset the view completely without animation.

### fitBounds options

The same as zoom/pan options and additionally:

Option | Type | Default | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
`paddingTopLeft` | `Point` | `[0, 0]` | Sets the amount of padding in the top left corner of a map container that shouldn't be accounted for when setting the view to fit bounds. Useful if you have some control overlays on the map like a sidebar and you don't want them to obscure objects you're zooming to.
`paddingBottomRight` | `Point` | `[0, 0]` | The same for bottom right corner of the map.
`padding` | `Point` | `[0, 0]` | Equivalent of setting both top left and bottom right padding to the same value.
`maxZoom` | `Number` | `null` | The maximum possible zoom to use.

### Properties

Map properties include interaction handlers that allow you to control interaction behavior in runtime, enabling or disabling certain features such as dragging or touch zoom (see IHandler methods). Example:

    map.doubleClickZoom.disable();

You can also access default map controls like attribution control through map properties:

    map.attributionControl.addAttribution("Earthquake data &copy; GeoNames");

Property | Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`dragging` | `IHandler` | Map dragging handler (by both mouse and touch).
`touchZoom` | `IHandler` | Touch zoom handler.
`doubleClickZoom` | `IHandler` | Double click zoom handler.
`scrollWheelZoom` | `IHandler` | Scroll wheel zoom handler.
`boxZoom` | `IHandler` | Box (shift-drag with mouse) zoom handler.
`keyboard` | `IHandler` | Keyboard navigation handler.
`tap` | `IHandler` | Mobile touch hacks (quick tap and touch hold) handler.
`zoomControl` | `Control.Zoom` | Zoom control.
`attributionControl` | `Control.Attribution` | Attribution control.

### Map Panes

An object literal (returned by map.getPanes) that contains different map panes that you can use to put your custom overlays in. The difference is mostly in zIndex order that such overlays get.

Property | Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`mapPane` | `HTMLElement` | Pane that contains all other map panes.
`tilePane` | `HTMLElement` | Pane for tile layers.
`objectsPane` | `HTMLElement` | Pane that contains all the panes except tile pane.
`shadowPane` | `HTMLElement` | Pane for overlay shadows (e.g. marker shadows).
`overlayPane` | `HTMLElement` | Pane for overlays like polylines and polygons.
`markerPane` | `HTMLElement` | Pane for marker icons.
`popupPane` | `HTMLElement` | Pane for popups.