---
title: "How to display MapLibre GL JS map using React JS | React | Maplibre gl js"
description: "Create React JS components for MapLibre GL JS maps."
---

# How to display MapLibre GL JS map using React JS

In this step-by-step tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a React JS component to render a map using MapLibre GL JS. Together we will make a simple full-screen map application, serving as a practical example of how to seamlessly integrate MapTiler maps with MapLibre GL JS into your own React app.

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to create a full-screen map with a marker placed at a specified location. Your final map will look like this:

![Display MapLibre GL JS map using React JS](final_map.webp)

## Getting started

_Minimal requirements for completing this tutorial._

-   **Basic React JS knowledge.** You don’t need a lot of experience using [React](https://reactjs.org/) for this tutorial, but you should be familiar with basic concepts and workflow.
    
-   **MapTiler API key.** Your MapTiler account access key is on your MapTiler [Cloud](https://cloud.maptiler.com/account/keys) account page or [Get API key for FREE](https://cloud.maptiler.com/account/keys).
    
-   **MapLibre GL JS.** JavaScript library for building web maps. In this tutorial, you will learn how to install it.
    
-   **Node.js and npm.** Necessary to run your React app locally. [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/)
    

## Create an app

In this step, we are going to learn how to create a React app.

To create a new react project run in your command-line:

```bash
npx create-react-app my-react-map
```

`create-react-app` will create a simple one-page application in React. For more information follow [Create React app](https://reactjs.org/docs/create-a-new-react-app.html#create-react-app).

Navigate to the newly created project folder `my-react-map`

```bash
cd my-react-map
```

Inside the newly created project, you can run `npm start` to start your local environment. You will find your app running on address `http://localhost:3000/`.

Now you should see the app in your browser.

![React app](react.png)

### Installation and setting up

To install MapLibre GL library, navigate to your project folder and run the command:

```bash
npm i maplibre-gl
```

Navigate to the `src` folder and replace all the contents of the `App.css` file with the following lines:

```css
body {
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
  font-family:
    -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Roboto", "Oxygen", "Ubuntu",
    "Cantarell", "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;
  -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;
  -moz-osx-font-smoothing: grayscale;
}

code {
  font-family:
    source-code-pro, Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, "Courier New", monospace;
}
```

Replace all the contents of the `App.js` file with the following lines:

```jsx
import "./App.css";

function App() {
  return <div className="App">This is my map App</div>;
}

export default App;
```

Now you should see “This is my map App“ in your browser.

### Create a navbar component

In this step, we will create a simple heading navbar component.

Create a new folder called `components` inside the `src` folder.

Create a new file called `navbar.js` inside the `components` folder and write these lines:

```jsx
import React from "react";
import "./navbar.css";

export default function Navbar() {
  return (
    <div className="heading">
      <h1>This is my map App</h1>
    </div>
  );
}
```

Create a new file called `navbar.css` inside the `components` folder and write these lines:

```css
.heading {
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0px;
  background-color: black;
  color: white;
  text-align: center;
}

.heading > h1 {
  padding: 20px;
  margin: 0;
}
```

Finally, to display the `Navbar` we need to import the Navbar component and add it to our main component `App.js`.

Import the navbar component into `App.js` write the following line at the beginning of the file

```jsx
import Navbar from "./components/navbar.js";
```

Replace the text _This is my map App_ with `<Navbar />`. Your `App.js` file should look like this:

```jsx
import Navbar from './components/navbar.js';
import './App.css';

function App() {
  return (
    <div className="App">
    <Navbar/>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;
```

Now you should see the black navbar at the top of your browser.

![App navigation bar](navbar.png)

### Create a map component

In this step, we will create a simple map component.

Create a new file called `map.js` inside the `components` folder.

First, we’ll import MapLibre GL and the required React functions. Add these lines on top of `map.js` file.

```jsx
import React, { useRef, useEffect } from 'react'; 
import maplibregl from 'maplibre-gl';
import 'maplibre-gl/dist/maplibre-gl.css'; 
import './map.css';
```

Now we will create a function as our map component.

```jsx
export default function Map() {
}
```

And set up your map’s default state.

```jsx
export default function Map() {
  const mapContainer = useRef(null);
  const map = useRef(null);
  const lng = 139.753;
  const lat = 35.6844;
  const zoom = 14;
  const API_KEY = 'YOUR_MAPTILER_API_KEY_HERE';
}
```

The state stores the map object, its container. Longitude, latitude, and zoom for the map will all change as your user interacts with the map.

Replace `YOUR_MAPTILER_API_KEY_HERE` with [your own API key](https://cloud.maptiler.com/account/keys/). Make sure to [secure the key](https://docs.maptiler.com/guides/credentials/api-key/#secure-key) before you publish it.

In the next step, we will initialize the map in the `Map()` function.

```jsx
useEffect(() => {
  if (map.current) return; // stops map from intializing more than once

  map.current = new maplibregl.Map({
    container: mapContainer.current,
    style: `https://api.maptiler.com/maps/streets-v4/style.json?key=${API_KEY}`,
    center: [lng, lat],
    zoom: zoom
  });
  
}, [API_KEY, lng, lat, zoom]);
```

This code will be right after the component is inserted into the DOM tree. We initialize the map using React effect hook and we also set up some basic options of the map:

1.  The `container` option sets the DOM element in which will the map be rendered. We will assign the `ref` our component expects to an HTML element, which will act as a container, later in this tutorial.
    
2.  The `style` option defines what style is the map going to use.
    
3.  The `center` and `zoom` options set the starting position of the map.
    

Now, we will add the `return` statement to your `Map()` function. Add the following code to your component above the closing curly brace of `Map()`:

```jsx
return (
  <div className="map-wrap">
    <div ref={mapContainer} className="map" />
  </div>
);
```

The `ref={mapContainer}` specifies that App should be drawn to the HTML page in the `<div>` element.

We are finished with our basic map component, your `map.js` file should look like this:

```jsx
import React, { useRef, useEffect } from 'react';
import maplibregl from 'maplibre-gl';
import 'maplibre-gl/dist/maplibre-gl.css';
import './map.css';

export default function Map() {
  const mapContainer = useRef(null);
  const map = useRef(null);
  const lng = 139.753;
  const lat = 35.6844;
  const zoom = 14;
  const API_KEY = 'YOUR_MAPTILER_API_KEY_HERE';

  useEffect(() => {
    if (map.current) return; // stops map from intializing more than once

    map.current = new maplibregl.Map({
      container: mapContainer.current,
      style: `https://api.maptiler.com/maps/streets-v4/style.json?key=${API_KEY}`,
      center: [lng, lat],
      zoom: zoom
    });
    
  }, [API_KEY, lng, lat, zoom]);
  
  return (
    <div className="map-wrap">
      <div ref={mapContainer} className="map" />
    </div>
  );
}
```

Now we will need simple styling to render the map correctly. Create a file named `map.css` in `components` folder for the map component style and write the following code to your `map.css` file:

```css
.map-wrap {
  position: relative;
  width: 100%;
  height: calc(
    100vh - 77px
  ); /* calculate height of the screen minus the heading */
}

.map {
  position: absolute;
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
}
```

We use `position: absolute` on the map itself and `position: relative` on the wrap around the map for more possibilities in future styling.

### Render a map

Now we will import the map component into your app, add the following line to the top of the `App.js`.

```jsx
import Map from "./components/map.js";
```

And then, add the imported `<Map/>` component in your `App()` function. Your `App.js` file should then look like this:

```jsx
import React from 'react';
import Map from './components/map.js';
import Navbar from './components/navbar.js';
import './App.css';

function App() {
  return(
    <div className="App">
      <Navbar/>
      <Map/>
    </div>
  )
}

export default App;
```

With everything done up until now, you should be able to see your beautiful map in your browser.

![Full-screen map](map.webp)

### Basic additional options

The last topic of this tutorial will be adding basic objects to your map. For more detailed information you can visit the [MapLibre documentation](https://docs.maptiler.com/sdk-js/api/markers/).

### Map Controls

We will navigate back to our `map.js` file and add map [navigation controls](https://docs.maptiler.com/sdk-js/api/markers/#navigationcontrol) to our map.

On line 21 (just after the initialization of the map) of the `map.js` file add the following line:

```jsx
map.current.addControl(new maplibregl.NavigationControl(), 'top-right');
```

`new maplibregl.NavigationControl()` will create a new controls object which we add to the current map using the `addControl()` function in the `'top-right'` position.

![Map navigation control](nav_control.webp)

### Map marker

Another basic thing to add to your map could be a [marker](https://docs.maptiler.com/sdk-js/api/markers/#marker) of some location.

In the next line where we declare the navigation control we add these lines:

```jsx
new maplibregl.Marker({color: "#FF0000"})
  .setLngLat([139.7525,35.6846])
  .addTo(map.current);
```

We create a new marker using the `.marker` function. We added the color option to make it red, then set Lng/Lat of the marker using `.setLngLat()` function, and finally added it to the current map using `.addTo()` function.

We are finished with our basic map objects, your `map.js` file should look like this:

```jsx
import React, { useRef, useEffect } from 'react';
import maplibregl from 'maplibre-gl';
import 'maplibre-gl/dist/maplibre-gl.css';
import './map.css';

export default function Map() {
  const mapContainer = useRef(null);
  const map = useRef(null);
  const lng = 139.753;
  const lat = 35.6844;
  const zoom = 14;
  const API_KEY = 'YOUR_MAPTILER_API_KEY_HERE';

  useEffect(() => {
    if (map.current) return; // stops map from intializing more than once
    
    map.current = new maplibregl.Map({
      container: mapContainer.current,
      style: `https://api.maptiler.com/maps/streets-v4/style.json?key=${API_KEY}`,
      center: [lng, lat],
      zoom: zoom
    });
    map.current.addControl(new maplibregl.NavigationControl(), 'top-right');
    new maplibregl.Marker({color: "#FF0000"})
      .setLngLat([139.7525,35.6846])
      .addTo(map.current);
  }, [API_KEY, lng, lat, zoom]);

  return (
    <div className="map-wrap">
      <div ref={mapContainer} className="map" />
    </div>
  );
}
```

![Display MapLibre GL JS map using React JS](final_map.webp)

### Full code to download

We have created a template with the result of this tutorial that will serve as a basis to build future applications. You can access the template repository at ![GitHubLogo](https://docs.maptiler.com/assets/img/github.svg)[React template for MapLibre](https://github.com/maptiler/cra-template-maplibre-gl-js).

## Conclusion

Congratulations! You have finished your simple fullscreen map app using React JS, showing Tokyo with a marker on Tokyo Imperial Palace. You can explore more about MapLibre GL JS for your map in the [MapLibre API reference](https://maplibre.org/maplibre-gl-js/docs/API/).

## Useful links

[MapTiler - JavaScript Maps API](https://docs.maptiler.com/sdk-js/)

[React JS - Getting Started](https://reactjs.org/docs/getting-started.html)

[NPM - MapLibre GL](https://www.npmjs.com/package/maplibre-gl)

[MapLibre official web](https://maplibre.org/)

[MapTiler - Map Designer](https://www.maptiler.com/cloud/customize/)

## Learn more

### React JS with MapTiler maps

If you’re looking to develop React applications with MapTiler SDK JS, check out our tutorial titled [React JS with MapTiler maps](https://docs.maptiler.com/react/). This step-by-step tutorial will provide you with the necessary guidance and examples to create a React JS component that leverages the power of MapTiler SDK JS mapping library to render maps.

### Get Started With MapLibre GL JS for React Native

You can also develop your applications using React Native. Check out the tutorial [Get started with React Native and MapLibre GL JS](https://docs.maptiler.com/react-native/)