Setting up a Developer Environment
In order to write the code that builds and renders your web maps you need a few things.
- First and foremost, you’ll need access to internet connection and a computer with an internet browser installed. Recent versions of Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome are the recommended browsers.
- To work with Mapbox you must sign up for a free account and create an access token.
- Lastly, if you haven’t already, you should download a source code editor for swift and efficient map construction. Much like a word processor helps with writing essays, a code editor makes writing code easier by formatting and color coding your work as you type.
Create a Mapbox Account and Access Token
Mapbox’s service model is based on a paid subscription, but they offer a free service tier for those interested in using their products for learning, with enough resources to get you started. Use of services is authorized on a user-basis by an access token.
Sign up for a free Mapbox account using an email address you have access to (you will be asked to verify your email).
Create access token by giving it a name (like mapbox-workshop) and scrolling to the end of the page where a button says Create Token. You will be prompted to confirm your site password. A new access token should appear under the default access token. Keep this browser window open as we will need the access token in a moment.
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Download a Code Editor
To make your life easier while viewing or editing code, it’s good to use a source code editor. This workshop recommends Visual Studio Code, but other editors like Notepad++ or Sublime Text will work similarly.
It’s helpful to see your web-map change as you work. Live Server is an extension for Visual Studio Code that builds a local server to host HTML documents in-progress. To install, click the gear icon in the bottom left corner of VS Code and go to extensions. Search for “Live Server” and install.
