How Do I Load Google Maps External Javascript After Page Loads

Sometimes, you might find yourself in a situation where you need to load Google Maps external JavaScript after your page has already loaded. This can be a common scenario when you want to optimize your website's performance or if you're dealing with dynamic content that requires the map to be loaded after initial page load. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps on how to accomplish this task.

One of the key ways to achieve this is by using the JavaScript method, `createElement`. This method allows you to dynamically create a script tag and append it to the HTML document. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do this:

1. Create a Function: Start by creating a JavaScript function that will handle the loading of the Google Maps external JavaScript. Let's call this function `loadGoogleMaps`.

2. Using createElement: Inside the `loadGoogleMaps` function, use the `createElement` method to create a new script element. You can do this by declaring a new script variable and setting its type as `"text/javascript"`.

3. Set Source URL: After creating the script element, set the `src` attribute to the URL of the Google Maps external JavaScript file. You can obtain this URL from the Google Maps API documentation.

4. Append to Document: Finally, append the newly created script element to the document's body. This will trigger the browser to fetch and execute the Google Maps external JavaScript, loading the map on your page.

Here's a code snippet that demonstrates these steps:

function loadGoogleMaps() {
    var script = document.createElement('script');
    script.type = 'text/javascript';
    script.src = 'https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?key=YOUR_API_KEY&callback=initMap';

    document.body.appendChild(script);
}

To initiate this process after the page has loaded, you can call the `loadGoogleMaps` function using an event listener. You can add the following code snippet at the bottom of your HTML document:

window.addEventListener('load', function() {
    loadGoogleMaps();
});

Ensure to replace `'YOUR_API_KEY'` with your actual Google Maps API key. If you're unsure how to obtain an API key, refer to the Google Maps Platform documentation for detailed instructions.

In conclusion, dynamically loading Google Maps external JavaScript after your page has loaded is a handy technique that can help optimize your website's performance and cater to specific use cases. By following the steps outlined in this article and customizing the code to suit your requirements, you can seamlessly integrate Google Maps into your website without impacting the initial page load time.