Reverse geocode

Learn how to find an address near a location with the geocoding service.

Reverse geocoding is the process of converting a location to an address or place. To reverse geocode, you use the geocoding service and the reverseGeocode operation. This operation requires an initial location and returns an address with attributes such as place name and location.

Esri Leaflet provides a geocoder to access the geocoding service. In this tutorial, you use the reverseGeocode operation to reverse geocode and find the closest address to your clicked location on the map.

Prerequisites

Steps

Create a new pen

1. To get started, either complete the Display a map tutorial or use this pen.

Set the API key

To access location services, you need an API key or OAuth 2.0 access token. To learn how to create and scope your key, visit the Create an API key tutorial.

1. Go to your dashboard to get an API key. The API key must be scoped to access the services used in this tutorial.

2. In CodePen, update apiKey to use your key.

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         const map = L.map("map", {
           minZoom: 2
         })
   
         map.setView([34.02, -118.805], 13);
   
         const apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";
   
         const basemapEnum = "ArcGIS:Streets";
   
         L.esri.Vector.vectorBasemapLayer(basemapEnum, {
           apiKey: apiKey
         }).addTo(map);
   

Reference the geocoder

1. Reference the Esri Leaflet Geocoder plugin.

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       <!-- Load Leaflet from CDN -->
       <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.3/dist/leaflet.css" crossorigin="" />
       <script src="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.3/dist/leaflet.js" crossorigin=""></script>
       <!-- Load Esri Leaflet from CDN -->
       <script src="https://unpkg.com/esri-leaflet@3.0.10/dist/esri-leaflet.js"></script>
       <script src="https://unpkg.com/esri-leaflet-vector@4.0.0/dist/esri-leaflet-vector.js"></script>
   
       <!-- Load Esri Leaflet Geocoder from CDN -->
       <script src="https://unpkg.com/esri-leaflet-geocoder@3.1.3/dist/esri-leaflet-geocoder.js"></script>
   

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Update the map

A navigation basemap layer is typically used in geocoding and routing applications. Update the basemap layer to use ArcGIS:Navigation.

1. Update the basemap style and change the map view to center on location [2.3522,48.8566], Paris.

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         const apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";
   
         const basemapEnum = "ArcGIS:Navigation";
   
         const map = L.map("map", {
           minZoom: 2
         })
   
         map.setView([48.8566, 2.3522], 13); // Paris
   
         L.esri.Vector.vectorBasemapLayer(basemapEnum, {
           apiKey: apiKey
         }).addTo(map);
   

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Call the geocoding service

1. Create a click handler that will call the geocoding service when a user clicks on the map.

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         L.esri.Vector.vectorBasemapLayer(basemapEnum, {
           apiKey: apiKey
         }).addTo(map);
   
         map.on("click", function (e) {
   
         });
   

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2. Call the reverseGeocode operation and set your apiKey. Set the latlng to the LatLng of the location where the user clicks.

   More info

   reverseGeocode queries the geocoding service by default, but can also query other geocoding services.

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         map.on("click", function (e) {
   
           L.esri.Geocoding
             .reverseGeocode({
               apikey: apiKey
             })
             .latlng(e.latlng)
   
         });
   

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3. Execute the request using run and handle any errors within the callback function.

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         map.on("click", function (e) {
   
           L.esri.Geocoding
             .reverseGeocode({
               apikey: apiKey
             })
             .latlng(e.latlng)
   
             .run(function (error, result) {
               if (error) {
                 return;
               }
   
             });
   
         });
   

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Display the result

The response from the operation contains the location of an address or place. Use the results to display them in a Popup.

1. Add a LayerGroup to the map to contain reverse geocoding results. Call the clearLayers method to remove previous results.

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         const layerGroup = L.layerGroup().addTo(map);
   
         map.on("click", function (e) {
   
           L.esri.Geocoding
             .reverseGeocode({
               apikey: apiKey
             })
             .latlng(e.latlng)
   
             .run(function (error, result) {
               if (error) {
                 return;
               }
   
               layerGroup.clearLayers();
   
             });
   
         });
   

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2. Create a Marker at the result coordinates and add it to the layerGroup.

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         const layerGroup = L.layerGroup().addTo(map);
   
         map.on("click", function (e) {
   
           L.esri.Geocoding
             .reverseGeocode({
               apikey: apiKey
             })
             .latlng(e.latlng)
   
             .run(function (error, result) {
               if (error) {
                 return;
               }
   
               layerGroup.clearLayers();
   
               marker = L.marker(result.latlng).addTo(layerGroup);
   
             });
   
         });
   

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3. Add a lngLatString variable that stores the rounded search result coordinates. Append the bindPopup method to the marker to display the coordinates and address of the result.

   More info

   To learn more about using pop-ups with Esri Leaflet, go to the Display a pop-up tutorial.

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         const layerGroup = L.layerGroup().addTo(map);
   
         map.on("click", function (e) {
   
           L.esri.Geocoding
             .reverseGeocode({
               apikey: apiKey
             })
             .latlng(e.latlng)
   
             .run(function (error, result) {
               if (error) {
                 return;
               }
   
               layerGroup.clearLayers();
   
               marker = L.marker(result.latlng).addTo(layerGroup);
   
               const lngLatString = `${Math.round(result.latlng.lng * 100000) / 100000}, ${Math.round(result.latlng.lat * 100000) / 100000}`;
   
               marker.bindPopup(`<b>${lngLatString}</b><p>${result.address.Match_addr}</p>`);
               marker.openPopup();
   
             });
   
         });
   

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Run the app

In CodePen, run your code to display the map.

Click on the map to reverse geocode the clicked point and display a pop-up with the closest address and coordinates.

What's next?

Learn how to use additional ArcGIS location services in these tutorials:

Find places

Search for coffee shops, gas stations, restaurants and other nearby places with the Geocoding service.

Find service areas

Calculate the area that can be reached in a given driving time from a location.

Find a route and directions

Find a route and directions with the route service.