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Get Started

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This guide will help you add the Maps SDK for iOS to your project and add a map to your iOS application.

Part 1: Create and configure your credentials​

To download and install the iOS SDK, follow the steps below. Start by logging into your Mapbox account, then create and configure a secret access token, and lastly add your public access token to your Info.plist.

Step 1: Log in/Sign up for a Mapbox account​

If you haven't done so already, sign up for a Mapbox account and log into it.

You can sign up or sign in by clicking the buttons in the top right corner of your browser.

This account will allow you to create tokens and will create a default public token for you upon creation.

Step 2: Create a secret token​

A secret token can enable access to various products/services at Mapbox, including the ability to download an SDK. To allow download access to an SDK, follow these steps:

  1. From your account's tokens page, click the Create a token button.
  2. From the token creation page, give your token a name and make sure the box next to the Downloads:Read scope is checked.
  3. Click the Create token button at the bottom of the page to create your token.
  4. The token you've created is a secret token, which means you will only have one opportunity to copy it somewhere secure.
Protect secret access tokens

Store secret tokens in secure a location, outside of your project folder to make sure unauthorized users cannot find it.

Step 3: Configure your secret token​

To use your secret token, you will need to store it in a .netrc file in your home directory (not your project folder). This approach helps avoid accidentally exposing your secret token by keeping it out of your application's source code.

To create a .netrc file follow these steps:

Step 3-1: Check if you have already created a .netrc file on your computer.

  1. Go to your home directory.
  2. Type file .netrc into your terminal and see if anything returns.
  3. If you have a .netrc file already, skip step 3-2.

Step 3-2: Create the .netrc file.

  1. Open up your terminal in your home directory.
  2. Type touch .netrc.

Step 3-3: Open the .netrc file.

  • Type open .netrc from the same terminal window from Step 3-2

Step 3-4: Add login instructions to the .netrc

To set up the credentials required to download the SDK, add the following entry to your .netrc file:

machine api.mapbox.com
login mapbox
password <INSERT SECRET ACCESS TOKEN>

Step 3-5: Set .netrc file permissions

  1. Go to your home directory: /Users/[CurrentUser].
    • If you do not see the .netrc file, press Command + Shift + .(the period key).
  2. Right click on the .netrc.
  3. Click Get Info.
  4. Scroll down to Sharing & Permissions.
  5. Under your current username, make sure to set Privilege to Read & Write.

Step 4: Configure your public token​

To configure your public access token, follow these steps:

  1. Open your project's Info.plist file
  2. Hover over a key and click the plus button
  3. Type MBXAccessToken into the key field
  4. Click the value field and paste in your public access token.
Rotating Tokens

When you need to rotate your access token, you will need to update the token value in your Info.plist file.

GUIDE
Access token best practices

Learn how to keep access tokens private in mobile apps.

Part 2: Add the dependency​

Mapbox provides the Maps SDK via Swift Package Manager, CocoaPods and direct download. You can choose whichever you prefer.

The Mapbox Maps SDK can be installed via Swift Package Manager (SPM) by configuring your environment to download it from Mapbox with a secret token in your .netrc.

  1. Open your Xcode project or workspace, then go to File > Add Packages Dependencies....
  2. Enter https://github.com/mapbox/mapbox-maps-ios.git into the search bar in the top right corner.
  3. Select the Dependency Rule you want to apply to the Maps SDK
    • A common choice for Dependency Rule is "Up to Next Major Version", specifying 11.0.0 as the minimum version. To instead install a specific version set the Dependency Rule field to "Exact Version" and insert the desired version. The latest stable version of the Maps SDK is 11.5.1.
  4. Hit enter or Click Add Package.
  5. In the new window select the MapboxMaps library and click Add Package. Once SPM finishes installing the SDK you will see 4 new dependencies under Package Dependencies: MapboxCommon, MapboxCoreMaps, MapboxMaps, and Turf.
  6. Click on your project's target, scroll down to Frameworks, Libraries, and Embedded Content and click the plus button.
  7. From the list select MapboxMaps and click add.

Now you can use start using Mapbox in your project by calling import MapboxMaps in any of your scripts.

Troubleshooting and Updates

  • If you need to update your packages select File > Packages > Update To Latest Package Versions
  • If you receive invalid archive errors try the following fix:
    • Step 1: Reset your Package cache in Xcode by clicking File > Packages > Reset Package Cache
    • Step 2: Delete org.swift.swiftpm
      1. Go to your home directory: /Users/[CurrentUser]
      2. Press Command + Shift + .(the period key) in the finder window
      3. Go to Library/Caches
      4. Delete the org.swift.swiftpm file
      5. Try install again
    • Step 3: Check that the following is true for your .netrc file:
      1. The .netrc file is correctly named .netrc and there is nothing before the period.
      2. The .netrc file is not a text file.
      3. The login name is mapbox and not your personal account name
      4. The .netrc file specifies Read & Write permissions. Check with these steps:
        • Go to your home directory: /Users/[CurrentUser]
        • Right click on the .netrc
          • If you do not see the .netrc file, press Command + Shift + .(the period key)
        • Click Get Info
        • Scroll down to Sharing & Permissions
        • Under your current username, make sure that to set Privilege to Read & Write
GUIDE
Troubleshooting Mapbox Maps and Navigation SDKs for iOS installation

Learn how to keep access tokens private in mobile apps.

Part 3: Add a map​

You can add a map to your application using either UIKit or SwiftUI. Add the proper snippet and then run your application to see the map.

Insert the following code snippets into your ViewController.

 
import UIKit
 
import MapboxMaps
 

 
class ViewController: UIViewController {
 

 
    override public func viewDidLoad() {
 
        super.viewDidLoad()
 

 
        let mapView = MapView(frame: view.bounds)
 
        let cameraOptions = CameraOptions(center:
 
            CLLocationCoordinate2D(latitude: 39.5, longitude: -98.0),
 
            zoom: 2, bearing: 0, pitch: 0)
 
        mapView.mapboxMap.setCamera(to: cameraOptions)
 
        mapView.autoresizingMask = [.flexibleWidth, .flexibleHeight]
 

 
        view.addSubview(mapView)
 
    }
 
}
 

Troubleshooting

If you experience any issues while following the Get Started guide, try these fixes here:

Cannot find your .netrc file in your directory

Your finder window will hide the .netrc when it's created. To view the file in your directory, follow these steps:

  1. Go to your home directory: /Users/[CurrentUser].
  2. Press Command + Shift + .(the period key).
  3. Now your .netrc file should appear.

Updating Packages

If you need to update your packages select File > Packages > Update To Latest Package Versions

Invalid Archive Errors with Swift Package Manager

If you receive invalid archive errors try the following fix:

Step 1: Reset your Package cache in Xcode by clicking File > Packages > Reset Package Cache

Step 2: Delete org.swift.swiftpm

  1. Go to your home directory: /Users/[CurrentUser]
  2. Press Command + Shift + .(the period key) in the finder window
  3. Go to Library/Caches
  4. Delete the org.swift.swiftpm file
  5. Try installing the package again

Step 3: Check that the following is true for your .netrc file:

  1. The .netrc file is just named .netrc and there is nothing before the period.
  2. The .netrc file is not a text file.
  3. The login name is mapbox and not your personal account name
  4. Set .netrc file permissions to Read & Write if they aren't already. Check with these steps:
    • Go to your home directory: /Users/[CurrentUser]
    • Right click on the .netrc
      • If you do not see the .netrc file, press Command + Shift + .(the period key)
    • Click Get Info
    • Scroll down to Sharing & Permissions
    • Under your current username, set Privilege is to Read & Write, if it isn't already.
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