Converting between addresses and coordinates.
WHAT GEOCODING DOES
Converts an address into coordinates.
WHAT REVERSE GEOCODING DOES
Converts coordinates into an address.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT ACCURACY
Results vary considerably by country and by how well an area is mapped.
WHY THAT MATTERS LOCALLY
Address data is inconsistent, many places lack formal addresses, and results may be approximate or wrong.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
Show the result on a map and let the user confirm or adjust it.
WHY
Silently storing an incorrect location produces deliveries to the wrong place.
WHAT TO STORE
Both the coordinates and the address the user entered.
WHY BOTH
The original text carries information the geocoder discarded.
WHAT TO ALSO CAPTURE
Landmarks and directions, as free text.
WHY
It is how people here actually describe locations.
WHAT TO BE CAREFUL WITH
Caching restrictions, which the terms define Geocoding the same address repeatedly
WHAT TO DO
Store the result, within what the terms permit.
WHAT TO HANDLE
No result Several results Low-confidence results
