Find nearby places and details

Learn how to find places around a location with a keyword search, then get detailed place information.

Find nearby places and details with API key authentication

A nearby search finds places within a given radius of a location using the places service. The location typically represents a point on a map or the geolocation of a device.

To perform a nearby search, you use the places package from ArcGIS REST JS. With the results of the search, you can make another request to the service and return place attributes including the name, categories, ratings, and store hours.

In this tutorial, you use ArcGIS REST JS to perform a nearby search to find points of interest and return all available attributes associated with a place. You also use Calcite components to create a basic search interface.

Prerequisites

An ArcGIS Location Platform account.

Steps

Get the starter app

Select a type of authentication below and follow the steps to create a new application.

You can choose one of the following to create a new CodePen:

Option 1: Complete the Display a map tutorial; or,
Option 2: Start from the Display a map tutorial .

Set up authentication

Create developer credentials in your portal for the type of authentication you selected.

Create a new API key credential with privileges to access the resources used in this tutorial.

Go to the Create an API key tutorial and create an API key with the following privilege(s):
- Privileges
  - Location services > Basemaps
  - Location services > Places
When prompted, copy and paste the API key to a safe location. It will be used in the next step.

Set developer credentials

Use the API key or OAuth developer credentials so your application can access location services.

Update the accessToken variable to use your API key.

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  <script>

    /* Use for API key authentication */
    const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

    const map = L.map("map", {
      minZoom: 2
    })

    map.setView([34.02, -118.805], 13);

    const basemapEnum = "arcgis/streets";

    L.esri.Vector.vectorBasemapLayer(basemapEnum, {
      token: accessToken
    }).addTo(map);

  </script>

In both the index.html and callback.html files, replace YOUR_CLIENT_ID and YOUR_REDIRECT_URL with the client ID and redirect URL of your OAuth credentials.

index.html
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    /* Use for user authentication */
    const session = await arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.beginOAuth2({
      clientId: "YOUR_CLIENT_ID", // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
      redirectUri: "YOUR_REDIRECT_URL", // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
      portal: "https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest" // Your portal URL
    })

callback.html
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    arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.completeOAuth2({
      clientId: "YOUR_CLIENT_ID", // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
      redirectUri: "YOUR_REDIRECT_URL", // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
      portal: "https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest" // Your portal URL
    })

Run the app and ensure you can sign in successfully.

If you are unable to sign in, make sure you have the correct redirect URL and port. This URL varies based on your application and typically takes the format of https://<server>[:port]/callback.html or http://my-arcgis-app:/auth. For example, if you are running an application on http://127.0.0.1:5500/, set http://127.0.0.1:5500/callback.html as your redirect URL in the index.html and callback.html file and your developer credential. They all have to match!

Add script references

Reference ArcGIS REST JS request and places packages to perform a nearby search operation. You also reference the Calcite libraries to create the user interface.

Reference the routing and request packages from ArcGIS REST JS.

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  <!-- Load Leaflet from CDN -->
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/leaflet.css" crossorigin="" />
  <script src="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/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@4.2.5/dist/esri-leaflet-vector.js"></script>

  <!-- ArcGIS REST JS: request and places -->
  <script src="https://unpkg.com/@esri/arcgis-rest-request@4/dist/bundled/request.umd.js"></script>
  <script
    src="https://unpkg.com/@esri/arcgis-rest-places@1/dist/bundled/places.umd.js"></script>

Reference the Calcite libraries.

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  <!-- Load Leaflet from CDN -->
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/leaflet.css" crossorigin="" />
  <script src="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/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@4.2.5/dist/esri-leaflet-vector.js"></script>

  <!-- Calcite components -->
  <script type="module" src="https://js.arcgis.com/calcite-components/2.12.1/calcite.esm.js"></script>
  <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://js.arcgis.com/calcite-components/2.12.1/calcite.css" />

  <!-- ArcGIS REST JS: request and places -->
  <script src="https://unpkg.com/@esri/arcgis-rest-request@4/dist/bundled/request.umd.js"></script>
  <script
    src="https://unpkg.com/@esri/arcgis-rest-places@1/dist/bundled/places.umd.js"></script>

Create a REST JS ApiKeyManager using your access token.

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    const authentication = arcgisRest.ApiKeyManager.fromKey(accessToken);
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Update interface

Change the map's viewpoint to [33.98621, -118.46651] with a zoom of 14 to focus on Santa Monica, California.

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    const map = L.map("map", {
      minZoom: 13

    }).setView([33.98621, -118.46651], 14); //Latitude, longitude

Inside <body>, copy and paste the following HTML to create a basic search interface.

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  <calcite-combobox id="categorySelect" placeholder="Filter by category" overlay-positioning="fixed"
    selection-mode="single">
    <calcite-combobox-item value="10000" text-label="Arts and Entertainment"></calcite-combobox-item>
    <calcite-combobox-item value="11000" text-label="Business and Professional Services"></calcite-combobox-item>
    <calcite-combobox-item value="12000" text-label="Community and Government"></calcite-combobox-item>
    <calcite-combobox-item value="13000" text-label="Dining and Drinking"></calcite-combobox-item>
    <calcite-combobox-item value="15000" text-label="Health and Medicine"></calcite-combobox-item>
    <calcite-combobox-item selected value="16000" text-label="Landmarks and Outdoors"></calcite-combobox-item>
    <calcite-combobox-item value="17000" text-label="Retail"></calcite-combobox-item>
    <calcite-combobox-item value="18000" text-label="Sports and Recreation"></calcite-combobox-item>
    <calcite-combobox-item value="19000" text-label="Travel and Transportation"></calcite-combobox-item>
  </calcite-combobox>
  <div class="contents">
    <calcite-flow id="flow">
      <calcite-flow-item>
        <calcite-list id="results">
          <calcite-notice open>
            <div slot="message">Click on the map to search for places around a location</div>
          </calcite-notice>
        </calcite-list>
      </calcite-flow-item>
    </calcite-flow>
  </div>

  <div id="map"></div>
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Modify the styling for the map div element and add new styling for the search panel.

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    #map {
      position: absolute;
      left: 350px;
      top: 0;
      bottom: 0;
      right: 0;
      font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
      font-size: 14px;
      color: #323232;
      z-index: 1;
    }

    .contents {
      position: absolute;
      top: 44px;
      bottom: 0;
      left: 0;
      width: 350px;
      overflow-y: auto;
      overflow-x: hidden;
    }

    #categorySelect {
      margin: 5px;
      width: 340px;
    }
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Create a helper function to dynamically create and append calcite-block elements with specified attributes and icons to the panel. Then, adjust the map's zoom control position to bottom right.

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    const categorySelect = document.getElementById("categorySelect");
    const resultPanel = document.getElementById("results");
    const flow = document.getElementById("flow");
    let infoPanel;

    const setAttribute = (heading, icon, validValue) => {
      if (validValue) {
        const element = document.createElement("calcite-block");
        element.heading = heading;
        element.description = validValue;

        const attributeIcon = document.createElement("calcite-icon");
        attributeIcon.icon = icon;
        attributeIcon.slot = "icon";
        attributeIcon.scale = "m";

        element.appendChild(attributeIcon);
        infoPanel.appendChild(element);
      }
    };
    map.zoomControl.setPosition("bottomright");
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Set a category and search area

To perform a place search, you typically need a category ID. Each category ID corresponds to a unique category of place, such as "Chinese Restaurants" (13099) or "Sports and Recreation" (18000).

Declare global variables to track the active place category and clicked location. Set the active category to 16000, which corresponds to the Landmarks and Outdoors category of places.

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    let activeCategory = "16000";
    let userLocation;

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Create a click event handler that saves the location of clicks on the map.

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    let activeCategory = "16000";
    let userLocation;

    map.on('click', function (e) {
      userLocation = e.latlng;

    })

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When a click is registered, create a Circle at the clicked location to represent the area that will be searched. Set the radius to the search radius in meters.

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    let activeCategory = "16000";
    let userLocation;

    const searchRadius = 750;
    const clickedPoint = L.layerGroup().addTo(map);

    map.on('click', function (e) {
      userLocation = e.latlng;

      clickedPoint.clearLayers();
      L.circle(e.latlng, {
        color: "#000000",
        stroke: true,
        weight: 2,
        opacity: 0.5,
        fill: true,
        fillOpacity: 0.25,
        fillColor: "#aaaaaa",
        radius: searchRadius
      }).addTo(clickedPoint);

    })

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Create another event handler for the Calcite category selector. Update the activeCategory when a new option is selected from the dropdown.

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    map.on('click', function (e) {
      userLocation = e.latlng;

      clickedPoint.clearLayers();
      L.circle(e.latlng, {
        color: "#000000",
        stroke: true,
        weight: 2,
        opacity: 0.5,
        fill: true,
        fillOpacity: 0.25,
        fillColor: "#aaaaaa",
        radius: searchRadius
      }).addTo(clickedPoint);

    })

    categorySelect.addEventListener("calciteComboboxChange", e => {
      console.log(activeCategory)
      activeCategory = categorySelect.value;
      map.closePopup();

    });
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Find places near a point

Once a location and category have been set, make a request to the places service to find places near a point.

Define a new function showPlaces. Use the ArcGIS REST JS findPlacesNearPoint function to submit a request to the places service. Pass the searchRadius, userLocation, and activeCategory, as well as your authentication object.

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    categorySelect.addEventListener("calciteComboboxChange", e => {
      console.log(activeCategory)
      activeCategory = categorySelect.value;
      map.closePopup();

    });

    function showPlaces() {

      arcgisRest.findPlacesNearPoint({
        x: userLocation.lng,
        y: userLocation.lat,
        categoryIds: activeCategory,
        radius: searchRadius,
        authentication
      })

    };
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Call the showPlaces function inside both of the event handlers.

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    map.on('click', function (e) {
      userLocation = e.latlng;

      clickedPoint.clearLayers();
      L.circle(e.latlng, {
        color: "#000000",
        stroke: true,
        weight: 2,
        opacity: 0.5,
        fill: true,
        fillOpacity: 0.25,
        fillColor: "#aaaaaa",
        radius: searchRadius
      }).addTo(clickedPoint);

      showPlaces()

    })

    categorySelect.addEventListener("calciteComboboxChange", e => {
      console.log(activeCategory)
      activeCategory = categorySelect.value;
      map.closePopup();

      if (userLocation) showPlaces();

    });
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Display results on the map

The places service will return a list of places near your location that match the specified category. Display these results as points on your map.

Create a Leaflet LayerGroup to display results and add it to your map. Clear the contents of the group when a new request is made.

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    const layerGroup = L.layerGroup().addTo(map);

    function showPlaces() {

      layerGroup.clearLayers();
      resultPanel.innerHTML = "";

      arcgisRest.findPlacesNearPoint({
        x: userLocation.lng,
        y: userLocation.lat,
        categoryIds: activeCategory,
        radius: searchRadius,
        authentication
      })

    };
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Access the service response. Create a new addResult function and call it for each search result.

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      arcgisRest.findPlacesNearPoint({
        x: userLocation.lng,
        y: userLocation.lat,
        categoryIds: activeCategory,
        radius: searchRadius,
        authentication
      })

        .then((response) => {
          response.results.forEach((result) => {

            addResult(result);

          });
        });

    };

    function addResult(place) {

    }
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Create a Leaflet Marker at the location of each place. Display the markers in your layer group.

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    function addResult(place) {

      const marker = L.marker([place.location.y, place.location.x], {
        title: place.name
      }).addTo(layerGroup);
      marker.id = place.placeId;

    }
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Display results in a list

To show more information about each place, you will also display place results as an element in a Calcite list.

Create a new calcite-list-item element to display place information. Set the item properties to display the place name, category, and distance from the user's click. Add the element to the list of results.

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    function addResult(place) {

      const marker = L.marker([place.location.y, place.location.x], {
        title: place.name
      }).addTo(layerGroup);
      marker.id = place.placeId;

      const infoDiv = document.createElement("calcite-list-item");
      resultPanel.appendChild(infoDiv);

      const description = `
          ${place.categories[0].label} -
          ${Number((place.distance / 1000).toFixed(1))} km
      `;

      infoDiv.label = place.name;
      infoDiv.description = description;

    }
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When the HTML element is clicked, display a popup at the associated marker.

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    function addResult(place) {

      const marker = L.marker([place.location.y, place.location.x], {
        title: place.name
      }).addTo(layerGroup);
      marker.id = place.placeId;

      const infoDiv = document.createElement("calcite-list-item");
      resultPanel.appendChild(infoDiv);

      const description = `
          ${place.categories[0].label} -
          ${Number((place.distance / 1000).toFixed(1))} km
      `;

      infoDiv.label = place.name;
      infoDiv.description = description;

      infoDiv.addEventListener("click", e => {
        map.openPopup(place.name, marker.getLatLng(), {
          offset: [0, -25]
        });

      })

    }
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Run the app. Clicking on the map should perform a place search and display results as markers on the map. Result names and categories should display in the results panel to the left.

Get place details

The user of your application should be able to click on a result in the panel in order to see more information about it. Perform an arcgisRest.getPlaceDetails request to obtain detailed attributes about a specific point of interest.

Create a new function getDetails. When a result is clicked, call getDetails and pass the ID of the clicked result.

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      infoDiv.addEventListener("click", e => {
        map.openPopup(place.name, marker.getLatLng(), {
          offset: [0, -25]
        });

        getDetails(marker);

      })

    }

    function getDetails(marker) {

    }
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Call arcgisRest.getPlaceDetails to get more information about a specific POI. Pass the place id to the placeId parameter and provide authentication.

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    function getDetails(marker) {

      arcgisRest.getPlaceDetails({
        placeId: marker.id,
        requestedFields: ["all"],
        authentication
      })

    }
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Display place details

Display the resulting place details in a new panel.

Access the response from the places service and create a new calcite-flow-item element to display results. Add the flow item to the <flow> element.

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    function getDetails(marker) {

      arcgisRest.getPlaceDetails({
        placeId: marker.id,
        requestedFields: ["all"],
        authentication
      })

        .then((result) => {

          const placeDetails = result.placeDetails;
          map.setView(marker.getLatLng());

          infoPanel = document.createElement("calcite-flow-item");
          flow.appendChild(infoPanel)

        });

    }
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Set the name and description of the panel using the service response. Call the setAttribute helper function included with the starter code to display the rest of the attributes if they are valid. Select a Calcite UI icon for each attribute.

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        .then((result) => {

          const placeDetails = result.placeDetails;
          map.setView(marker.getLatLng());

          infoPanel = document.createElement("calcite-flow-item");
          flow.appendChild(infoPanel)

          infoPanel.heading = placeDetails.name;
          infoPanel.description = placeDetails.categories[0].label;

          setAttribute("Description", "information", placeDetails?.description);
          setAttribute("Address", "map-pin", placeDetails?.address?.streetAddress);
          setAttribute("Phone", "mobile", placeDetails?.contactInfo?.telephone);
          setAttribute("Hours", "clock", placeDetails?.hours?.openingText);
          setAttribute("Rating", "star", placeDetails?.rating?.user);
          setAttribute("Email", "email-address", placeDetails?.contactInfo?.email);
          setAttribute("Website", "information", placeDetails?.contactInfo?.website?.split("://")[1].split("/")[0]);
          setAttribute("Facebook", "speech-bubble-social", (placeDetails?.socialMedia?.facebookId) ? `www.facebook.com/${placeDetails.socialMedia.facebookId}` : null);
          setAttribute("Twitter", "speech-bubbles", (placeDetails?.socialMedia?.twitter) ? `www.twitter.com/${placeDetails.socialMedia.twitter}` : null);
          setAttribute("Instagram", "camera", (placeDetails?.socialMedia?.instagram) ? `www.instagram.com/${placeDetails.socialMedia.instagram}` : null);

        });
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When the info panel is closed, close any open map popups.

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    function getDetails(marker) {

      arcgisRest.getPlaceDetails({
        placeId: marker.id,
        requestedFields: ["all"],
        authentication
      })

        .then((result) => {

          const placeDetails = result.placeDetails;
          map.setView(marker.getLatLng());

          infoPanel = document.createElement("calcite-flow-item");
          flow.appendChild(infoPanel)

          infoPanel.heading = placeDetails.name;
          infoPanel.description = placeDetails.categories[0].label;

          setAttribute("Description", "information", placeDetails?.description);
          setAttribute("Address", "map-pin", placeDetails?.address?.streetAddress);
          setAttribute("Phone", "mobile", placeDetails?.contactInfo?.telephone);
          setAttribute("Hours", "clock", placeDetails?.hours?.openingText);
          setAttribute("Rating", "star", placeDetails?.rating?.user);
          setAttribute("Email", "email-address", placeDetails?.contactInfo?.email);
          setAttribute("Website", "information", placeDetails?.contactInfo?.website?.split("://")[1].split("/")[0]);
          setAttribute("Facebook", "speech-bubble-social", (placeDetails?.socialMedia?.facebookId) ? `www.facebook.com/${placeDetails.socialMedia.facebookId}` : null);
          setAttribute("Twitter", "speech-bubbles", (placeDetails?.socialMedia?.twitter) ? `www.twitter.com/${placeDetails.socialMedia.twitter}` : null);
          setAttribute("Instagram", "camera", (placeDetails?.socialMedia?.instagram) ? `www.instagram.com/${placeDetails.socialMedia.instagram}` : null);

          infoPanel.addEventListener("calciteFlowItemBack", e => {
            map.closePopup();
          })

        });

    }
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Close the info panel when a new search is performed.

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    function showPlaces() {

      layerGroup.clearLayers();
      resultPanel.innerHTML = "";

      if (infoPanel) infoPanel.remove();

      arcgisRest.findPlacesNearPoint({
        x: userLocation.lng,
        y: userLocation.lat,
        categoryIds: activeCategory,
        radius: searchRadius,
        authentication
      })

        .then((response) => {
          response.results.forEach((result) => {

            addResult(result);

          });
        });

    };
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Run the app

Run the app.

The app should display a map with a result panel on the left, which will populate with values when the map is clicked. Upon clicking on a place result, more information about the place should appear in the panel.

What's next?

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

Find places in a bounding box

Perform a text-based search to find places within a bounding box.

Find place addresses

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

Find a route and directions

Find a route and directions with the route service.