HTML Geolocation API
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The HTML Geolocation API is used to locate a user's position.
Locate the User's Position
The HTML Geolocation API is used to get the geographical position of a user.
Since this can compromise privacy, the position is not available unless the user
approves it.
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Note: Geolocation is most accurate for devices with GPS, like smartphones.
Browser Support
The numbers in the table specify the first browser version that fully supports
Geolocation.
API
Geolocation 5.0 - 49.0 (http) 9.0 3.5 5.0
50.0 (https)
Note: As of Chrome 50, the Geolocation API will only work on secure contexts
such as HTTPS. If your site is hosted on an non-secure origin (such as HTTP) the
requests to get the users location will no longer function.
Using HTML Geolocation
The getCurrentPosition() method is used to return the user's position.
The example below returns the latitude and longitude of the user's position:
Example
<script>
const x = document.getElementById("demo");
function getLocation() {
if (navigator.geolocation) {
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(showPosition);
} else {
x.innerHTML = "Geolocation is not supported by this browser.";
}
}
function showPosition(position) {
x.innerHTML = "Latitude: " + position.coords.latitude +
"<br>Longitude: " + position.coords.longitude;
}
</script>
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Example explained:
Check if Geolocation is supported
If supported, run the getCurrentPosition() method. If not, display a
message to the user
If the getCurrentPosition() method is successful, it returns a coordinates
object to the function specified in the parameter (showPosition)
The showPosition() function outputs the Latitude and Longitude
The example above is a very basic Geolocation script, with no error handling.
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Handling Errors and Rejections
The second parameter of the getCurrentPosition() method is used to handle
errors. It specifies a function to run if it fails to get the user's location:
Example
function showError(error) {
switch(error.code) {
case error.PERMISSION_DENIED:
x.innerHTML = "User denied the request for Geolocation."
break;
case error.POSITION_UNAVAILABLE:
x.innerHTML = "Location information is unavailable."
break;
case error.TIMEOUT:
x.innerHTML = "The request to get user location timed out."
break;
case error.UNKNOWN_ERROR:
x.innerHTML = "An unknown error occurred."
break;
}
}
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Location-specific Information
This page has demonstrated how to show a user's position on a map.
Geolocation is also very useful for location-specific information, like:
Up-to-date local information
Showing Points-of-interest near the user
Turn-by-turn navigation (GPS)
The getCurrentPosition() Method -
Return Data
The getCurrentPosition() method returns an object on success. The latitude,
longitude and accuracy properties are always returned. The other properties are
returned if available:
Property Returns
coords.latitude The latitude as a decimal number (always returned)
coords.longitude The longitude as a decimal number (always returned)
coords.accuracy The accuracy of position (always returned)
coords.altitude The altitude in meters above the mean sea level (returned if avail
coords.altitudeAccurac The altitude accuracy of position (returned if available)
y
coords.heading The heading as degrees clockwise from North (returned if availabl
coords.speed The speed in meters per second (returned if available)
timestamp The date/time of the response (returned if available)
Geolocation Object - Other interesting
Methods
The Geolocation object also has other interesting methods:
watchPosition() - Returns the current position of the user and continues to
return updated position as the user moves (like the GPS in a car).
clearWatch() - Stops the watchPosition() method.
The example below shows the watchPosition() method. You need an accurate
GPS device to test this (like smartphone):
Example
<script>
const x = document.getElementById("demo");
function getLocation() {
if (navigator.geolocation) {
navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(showPosition);
} else {
x.innerHTML = "Geolocation is not supported by this browser.";
}
}
function showPosition(position) {
x.innerHTML = "Latitude: " + position.coords.latitude +
"<br>Longitude: " + position.coords.longitude;
}
</script>
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