| name | google-maps |
| description | Geospatial query capabilities — geocoding, nearby search, routing, place details, elevation. Trigger when the user mentions locations, addresses, coordinates, navigation, "what's nearby", "how to get there", distance/duration, or any question that inherently involves geographic information — even if they don't explicitly say "map". Update when new tools are added or tool parameters change. |
| license | MIT |
| version | 0.0.38 |
| compatibility | ["claude-code","cursor","vscode-copilot","openai-codex","gemini-cli"] |
Google Maps - Geospatial Query Capabilities
Overview
Gives an AI Agent the ability to reason about physical space — understand locations, distances, routes, and elevation, and naturally weave that information into conversation.
Without this Skill, the agent can only guess or refuse when asked "how do I get from Taipei 101 to the National Palace Museum?". With it, the agent returns exact coordinates, step-by-step routes, and travel times.
Core Principles
| Principle | Explanation |
|---|
| Chain over single-shot | Most geo questions require 2-5 tool calls chained together. See Scenario Recipes in references/tools-api.md for the full patterns. |
| Match recipe to intent | Map the user's question to a recipe (Trip Planning, Local Discovery, Route Comparison, Neighborhood Analysis, Multi-Stop, Place Comparison, Along the Route) before calling any tool. |
| Precise input saves trouble | Use coordinates over address strings when available. Use place_id over name search. More precise input = more reliable output. |
| Output is structured | Every tool returns JSON. Use it directly for downstream computation or comparison — no extra parsing needed. |
| Present as tables | Users prefer comparison tables and scorecards over raw JSON. Format results for readability. |
Tool Map
17 tools in five categories — pick by scenario:
Place Discovery
| Tool | When to use | Example |
|---|
maps_geocode | Have an address/landmark, need coordinates | "What are the coordinates of Tokyo Tower?" |
maps_reverse_geocode | Have coordinates, need an address | "What's at 35.65, 139.74?" |
maps_search_nearby | Know a location, find nearby places by type | "Coffee shops near my hotel" |
maps_search_places | Natural language place search | "Best ramen in Tokyo" |
maps_place_details | Have a place_id, need full info (+ optional photo URLs via maxPhotos) | "Opening hours and reviews for this restaurant?" |
maps_batch_geocode | Geocode multiple addresses at once (max 50) | "Get coordinates for all these offices" |
Routing & Distance
| Tool | When to use | Example |
|---|
maps_directions | How to get from A to B | "Route from Taipei Main Station to the airport" |
maps_distance_matrix | Compare distances across multiple points | "Which of these 3 hotels is closest to the airport?" |
maps_search_along_route | Find places along a route (meals, stops) ranked by detour time | "Restaurants between Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu-dera" |
Environment
| Tool | When to use | Example |
|---|
maps_elevation | Query altitude | "Elevation profile along this hiking trail" |
maps_timezone | Need local time at a destination | "What time is it in Tokyo?" |
maps_weather | Weather at a location (current or forecast) | "What's the weather in Paris?" |
maps_air_quality | AQI, pollutants, health recommendations | "Is the air safe for jogging?" |
Visualization
| Tool | When to use | Example |
|---|
maps_static_map | Show locations/routes on a map image | "Show me these places on a map" |
Composite (one-call shortcuts)
| Tool | When to use | Example |
|---|
maps_explore_area | Overview of a neighborhood | "What's around Tokyo Tower?" |
maps_plan_route | Multi-stop optimized itinerary (Routes API waypoint optimization, up to 25 stops) | "Visit these 5 places efficiently" |
maps_compare_places | Side-by-side comparison | "Which ramen shop near Shibuya?" |
maps_local_rank_tracker | Local SEO grid rank tracking | "How does this dentist rank across the area?" |
Known API Limitations
| Tool | Limitation | Workaround |
|---|
maps_weather | Unsupported regions: Japan, China, South Korea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria | Use web search for weather in these regions |
maps_distance_matrix | Transit mode may return null in some regions | Fall back to driving or walking mode, or use maps_directions for transit |
maps_plan_route | Transit mode does not support waypoint optimization | Set optimize: false for transit mode |
maps_air_quality | Works globally including Japan (unlike weather) | — |
Invocation
npx @cablate/mcp-google-map exec <tool> '<json_params>' [-k API_KEY]
- API Key:
-k flag or GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY environment variable
- Output: JSON to stdout, errors to stderr
- Stateless: each call is independent
- Tool names: CLI accepts both
maps_geocode and geocode short forms
- Tool filtering: Set
GOOGLE_MAPS_ENABLED_TOOLS env var to a comma-separated list of tool names to limit registered tools (reduces MCP client context usage). Omit or set to * for all tools.
When to Update This Skill
| Trigger | What to update |
|---|
| New tool added to the package | Tool Map table + references/tools-api.md |
| Tool parameters changed | references/tools-api.md |
| New chaining pattern discovered in practice | references/tools-api.md chaining section |
Reference
| File | Content | When to read |
|---|
references/tools-api.md | Full parameter specs, response formats, 7 scenario recipes, and decision guide | When you need exact parameters, response shapes, or multi-tool workflow patterns |
references/travel-planning.md | Travel planning methodology — 6-layer model, Search Along Route, anti-patterns | When planning multi-day trips — read before Recipe 1 |
references/local-seo.md | Local SEO / Google Business Profile ranking analysis — competitor audit, keyword landscape, gap analysis | When analyzing business rankings, comparing competitors, or scouting locations |
For project development knowledge (architecture, API guide, GIS domain, design decisions), see skills/project-docs/SKILL.md.
