Display a map | ArcGIS Maps SDK for Flutter

Learn how to create and display a map A map is a collection of layers that are displayed in 2D. It is typically composed of a basemap layer and data layers. Learn more with a basemap layer A basemap layer is the layer in a map or scene that displays basemap data. The data source for a basemap layer is typically a basemap service. Learn more .

display a map

A map contains layers A layer is a reference to a collection of geographic data that is used to access and display data. The data for layers are typically provided by the basemap layer service and data services. Learn more of geographic data. A map contains a basemap layer A basemap layer is the layer in a map or scene that displays basemap data. The data source for a basemap layer is typically a basemap service. Learn more and, optionally, one or more data layers A data layer is a layer that references geographic data from a file or a service and is used to visualize the data in a map or scene. Learn more . You can display a specific area of a map by using a map view A map view is a user interface that displays map layers and graphics in 2D. It controls the area (extent) of the map that is visible and supports user interactions such as pan and zoom. Learn more and setting the location A location is a position or region (point, line, or polygon) on the earth's surface. Learn more and zoom level Zoom level is a value that sets the scale for a map view or a scene view. Learn more .

In this tutorial, you create and display a map A map is a collection of layers that are displayed in 2D. It is typically composed of a basemap layer and data layers. Learn more of the Santa Monica Mountains in California using the topographic basemap layer A basemap layer is the layer in a map or scene that displays basemap data. The data source for a basemap layer is typically a basemap service. Learn more .

The map and code will be used as the starting point for other 2D tutorials.

Prerequisites

Before starting this tutorial:

You need an ArcGIS Location Platform or ArcGIS Online account.
Your system meets the system requirements.
You need an IDE for Flutter - we recommend VS Code.

Set up authentication

To access the secure ArcGIS location services ArcGIS Location Services, also referred to as Location Services, are services hosted by Esri that provide geospatial functionality for developing mapping applications. They include the ArcGIS Basemap Styles service, ArcGIS Static Basemap Tiles service, ArcGIS Places service, ArcGIS Geocoding service, ArcGIS Routing service, ArcGIS GeoEnrichment service, and ArcGIS Elevation service. An ArcGIS Location Platform or ArcGIS Online account is required to use the services. Learn more used in this tutorial, you must implement API key authentication API key authentication is a type of authentication that uses an API key to authenticate requests to ArcGIS services and secure portal items. Learn more using an ArcGIS Location Platform An ArcGIS Location Platform account, formerly known as an ArcGIS Developer account, is an identity associated with an ArcGIS Location Platform subscription. Learn more or an ArcGIS Online An ArcGIS Online account, also known as an ArcGIS Organization account, is an identity associated with an ArcGIS Online subscription. It can be used to access ArcGIS tools and develop applications with ArcGIS location services for an organization. Learn more account.

Create a new API key access token An access token is an authorization string that provides access to secure ArcGIS content, data, and services. Its capabilities are determined by the privileges it supports. It is obtained by implementing API key authentication, User authentication, or App authentication. Learn more with privileges Privileges are a set of permissions assigned to ArcGIS accounts, developer credentials, and applications that grant access to secure resources and functionality in ArcGIS. Learn more to access the secure resources used in this tutorial.

Complete the Create an API key tutorial and create an API key with the following privilege(s) Privileges are a set of permissions assigned to ArcGIS accounts, developer credentials, and applications that grant access to secure resources and functionality in ArcGIS. Learn more :
- Privileges
  - Location services > Basemaps
Copy and paste the API key access token into a safe location. It will be used in a later step.

Develop or download

You have two options for completing this tutorial:

Option 1: Develop the code or
Option 2: Download the completed solution

Option 1: Develop the code

Create a new Flutter app

Open VS Code, then select Open Folder… in the welcome tab. Choose your preferred project location.
Go to View > Terminal.
In the terminal window, use the following command to create a new Flutter app called display_a_map. Set your required target platform(s) and an org name, com.example.app.
flutter create -e display_a_map --platforms ios,android --org com.example.app

Add ArcGIS Maps SDK for Flutter

Add a dependency to the arcgis_maps package.

In VS Code’s terminal, change the directory to your new project:
cd display_a_map
Run:
dart pub add arcgis_maps
Run:
flutter pub upgrade
Lastly, run:
dart run arcgis_maps install

Platform specific configuration

Update the minimum requirements by editing android/app/build.gradle.kts file in your project:

build.gradle.kts

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android {
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    namespace = "com.example.app.display_a_map"
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    compileSdk = 36
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    ndkVersion = "27.0.12077973"
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    // ...
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    defaultConfig {
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        // TODO: Specify your own unique Application ID (https://developer.android.com/studio/build/application-id.html).
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        applicationId = "com.example.app.display_a_map"
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        // You can update the following values to match your application needs.
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        // For more information, see: https://flutter.dev/to/review-gradle-config.
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        minSdk = 28
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        targetSdk = flutter.targetSdkVersion
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        versionCode = flutter.versionCode
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        versionName = flutter.versionName
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    }
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    // ...

Add a permission to android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml to access online resources:

AndroidManifest.xml

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<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
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    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
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    <application
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        android:label="display_a_map"
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        android:name="${applicationName}"
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        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher">
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        <!-- ... -->

Set iOS 17.0 minimum by editing the ios/Podfile file. Uncomment the line and update the version number.
Podfile
1 # Uncomment this line to define a global platform for your project 2 platform :ios, '17.0'

Add the Runtimecore and arcgis_maps_ffi pods to the Runner target section.

Podfile

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target 'Runner' do
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  use_frameworks!
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  pod 'Runtimecore', :podspec => '../arcgis_maps_core/ios/Runtimecore.podspec'
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  pod 'arcgis_maps_ffi', :podspec => '../arcgis_maps_core/ios/arcgis_maps_ffi.podspec'
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  flutter_install_all_ios_pods File.dirname(File.realpath(__FILE__))
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  target 'RunnerTests' do
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    inherit! :search_paths
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  end
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end

Use pod update to configure Pods.
cd ios && pod update && cd ..

Set developer credentials

To allow your app users to access ArcGIS location services ArcGIS Location Services, also referred to as Location Services, are services hosted by Esri that provide geospatial functionality for developing mapping applications. They include the ArcGIS Basemap Styles service, ArcGIS Static Basemap Tiles service, ArcGIS Places service, ArcGIS Geocoding service, ArcGIS Routing service, ArcGIS GeoEnrichment service, and ArcGIS Elevation service. An ArcGIS Location Platform or ArcGIS Online account is required to use the services. Learn more , use the developer credentials that you created in the Set up authentication step to authenticate requests for resources.

In VS Code, open lib/main.dart.

Import the arcgis_maps package.

main.dart

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

import 'package:arcgis_maps/arcgis_maps.dart';

In the main() function, set the ArcGISEnvironment.apiKey value to your access token An access token is an authorization string that provides access to secure ArcGIS content, data, and services. Its capabilities are determined by the privileges it supports. It is obtained by implementing API key authentication, User authentication, or App authentication. Learn more .
main.dart
void main() { ArcGISEnvironment.apiKey = 'YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN'; runApp(const MainApp()); }
Best Practice: The access token is stored directly in the code as a convenience for this tutorial. Do not store credentials directly in source code in a production environment.

Instantiate MaterialApp inside runApp() and set the named argument, home, to an instance of MainApp.

main.dart

void main() {

  ArcGISEnvironment.apiKey = 'YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN';

  runApp(

    const MaterialApp(home: MainApp())

  );
}

Add a map

Create a map A map is a collection of layers that are displayed in 2D. It is typically composed of a basemap layer and data layers. Learn more that contains a topographic basemap layer A basemap layer is the layer in a map or scene that displays basemap data. The data source for a basemap layer is typically a basemap service. Learn more . The map will be centered on the Santa Monica Mountains in California.

Refactor the template MainApp class definition to extend StatefulWidget. Hover your mouse over the StatelessWidget keyword, right-click, select Refactor…, and chose Convert to StatefulWidget to refactor your code.

When working with the ArcGIS Maps SDK for Flutter, it is very common to require updates to application state, such as making updates to the UI in response to data changes. By implementing a stateful widget, your app is ready for this. It is also possible to simply display a map using a stateless widget implementation, see the Display map sample.
main.dart
class MainApp extends StatefulWidget { const MainApp({super.key}); @override State<MainApp> createState() => _MainAppState(); } class _MainAppState extends State<MainApp> { @override Widget build(BuildContext context) { return const MaterialApp( home: Scaffold(body: Center(child: Text('Hello World!'))), ); } }
Remove the MaterialApp widget that is returned within the build method of class _MainAppState. This code was generated by the Flutter create template and will be replaced with code to return a widget that contains a map next.
main.dart
class _MainAppState extends State<MainApp> { @override Widget build(BuildContext context) { return const MaterialApp( home: Scaffold(body: Center(child: Text('Hello World!'))), ); } }
Inside _MainAppState class define a final class member variable, _mapViewController, and initialize it with ArcGISMapViewController by calling the createController() on the ArcGISMapView class.

The ArcGIS map view controller is a user interface control that displays two-dimensional (2D) geographic content defined by an ArcGISMap.
main.dart
class _MainAppState extends State<MainApp> { final _mapViewController = ArcGISMapView.createController(); @override Widget build(BuildContext context) { } }
Within the build method, add an widget to the widget tree consisting of Scaffold, Column, and Expanded. Set the named argument, controllerProvider, to the class member variable _mapViewController and the onMapViewReady argument to a new method with the same name as the argument that you will define next.

The Scaffold widget provides a basic material design visual layout structure, while the Column widget displays its children in a vertical array. The ArcGISMapView widget can only be used within a widget that has a bounded size. Using it with unbounded size will cause the application to throw an exception. For example, to use an ArcGISMapView within a Column widget, which would give it unbounded size, would produce such an exception. Instead, you could wrap the ArcGISMapView in an Expanded widget to provide it proper bounds as illustrated in this step of the tutorial.
main.dart
class _MainAppState extends State<MainApp> { final _mapViewController = ArcGISMapView.createController(); @override Widget build(BuildContext context) { return Scaffold( body: Column( children: [ Expanded( child: ArcGISMapView( controllerProvider: () => _mapViewController, onMapViewReady: onMapViewReady, ), ), ], ), ); } }

Within _MainAppState, define a new method: onMapViewReady() that does not return anything.

main.dart

class _MainAppState extends State<MainApp> {

  final _mapViewController = ArcGISMapView.createController();

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {

    return Scaffold(
      body: Column(
        children: [
          Expanded(
            child: ArcGISMapView(
              controllerProvider: () => _mapViewController,
              onMapViewReady: onMapViewReady,
            ),
          ),
        ],
      ),
    );

  }

  void onMapViewReady() {

  }

}

Within the new method define a final variable, map, and initialize it to an ArcGISMap with the ArcGIS Topographic basemap style.

main.dart

class _MainAppState extends State<MainApp> {

  final _mapViewController = ArcGISMapView.createController();

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {

    return Scaffold(
      body: Column(
        children: [
          Expanded(
            child: ArcGISMapView(
              controllerProvider: () => _mapViewController,
              onMapViewReady: onMapViewReady,
            ),
          ),
        ],
      ),
    );

  }

  void onMapViewReady() {

    final map = ArcGISMap.withBasemapStyle(BasemapStyle.arcGISTopographic);

  }

}

Set the ArcGIS map view controller’s arcGISMap property to the map. In addition, call setViewpoint() to zoom to the Santa Monica Mountains in California.

Scale is an integral part of creating a viewpoint. It determines how closely you view your map. Scale is a ratio between measurements on a map view and measurements in the real-world. Use this conversion tool to see how scale works relative to zoom level and learn more about their relationship.

main.dart

class _MainAppState extends State<MainApp> {

  final _mapViewController = ArcGISMapView.createController();

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {

    return Scaffold(
      body: Column(
        children: [
          Expanded(
            child: ArcGISMapView(
              controllerProvider: () => _mapViewController,
              onMapViewReady: onMapViewReady,
            ),
          ),
        ],
      ),
    );

  }

  void onMapViewReady() {

    final map = ArcGISMap.withBasemapStyle(BasemapStyle.arcGISTopographic);

    _mapViewController.arcGISMap = map;
    _mapViewController.setViewpoint(
      Viewpoint.withLatLongScale(
        latitude: 34.02700,
        longitude: -118.80500,
        scale: 72000,
      ),
    );

  }

}

Run the app

Make sure you have an Android emulator, iOS simulator or physical device configured and running.
In VS Code, select Run > Run Without Debugging.

You will see a map A map is a collection of layers that are displayed in 2D. It is typically composed of a basemap layer and data layers. Learn more with the topographic basemap layer A basemap layer is the layer in a map or scene that displays basemap data. The data source for a basemap layer is typically a basemap service. Learn more centered on the Santa Monica Mountains in California. Pinch, drag, and double-tap the map view to explore the map.

Alternatively, you can download the tutorial solution, as follows.

Option 2: Download the solution

Click the Download solution link under Solution and unzip the file to a location on your machine.
Open the project in VS code.

Since the downloaded solution does not contain authentication credentials, you must add the developer credentials that you created in the Set up authentication section.

Set developer credentials in the solution

In VS Code, open lib/main.dart.
In the main() function, set the ArcGISEnvironment.apiKey value to your access token An access token is an authorization string that provides access to secure ArcGIS content, data, and services. Its capabilities are determined by the privileges it supports. It is obtained by implementing API key authentication, User authentication, or App authentication. Learn more .
main.dart
void main() { ArcGISEnvironment.apiKey = 'YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN'; runApp(const MainApp()); }
Best Practice: The access token is stored directly in the code as a convenience for this tutorial. Do not store credentials directly in source code in a production environment.

Run the application

Follow these steps to run the application.

In VS Code’s terminal, run:
flutter pub upgrade
Run:
dart run arcgis_maps install
Make sure you have an Android emulator, iOS simulator or physical device configured and running.
In VS Code, select Run > Run Without Debugging.