How to Make Interactive Maps for Free
You don't need an expensive subscription to Google Maps, Mapbox or Esri to create your own interactive web maps. There is a growing collection of free, open-source tools that allow you to build sophisticated, customised maps that can be published online without paying for mapping software or map tiles. My own mapping projects are built almost entirely using a lightweight toolkit of open-source and browser-based tools. This allows me to find geographical data, edit and refine it, design custom map styles and turn everything into interactive maps using JavaScript. Here is how you can get started building your own interactive map for free. 1. MapLibre and Leaflet – Create Your Interactive Map MapLibre is an excellent open-source alternative to commercial mapping platforms such as Mapbox, the Google Maps API and Esri. MapLibre GL JS is a JavaScript library that allows you to display interactive maps on your website. You can add markers, draw lines and polygons, display geographic...
