Source: https://developers.woosmap.com/products/localities/guides/migration/

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# Migrating from Google Places



Google splits Places across three services (`AutocompleteService`, `PlacesService`, `Geocoder`).
Woosmap uses a single `LocalitiesService` with Promises instead of callbacks — so this migration
isn't a pure find-and-replace like the map one.

Watch for these:

- Replace `place_id` with `public_id` everywhere — including in your database if you store identifiers.
- `location.lat` is a property, not a function — `location.lat()` will throw a TypeError.
- Autocomplete results come back as `localities`, not `predictions`.
- Google Places returns addresses by default. Woosmap Localities doesn't — add `address` to the `types` parameter if you need them.
- Use `key` client-side, `private_key` server-side.

## REST Endpoint Paths

| Service      | Google                          | Woosmap                     |
| :----------- | :------------------------------ | :-------------------------- |
| Autocomplete | `/maps/api/place/autocomplete/` | `/localities/autocomplete/` |
| Details      | `/maps/api/place/details/`      | `/localities/details/`      |
| Geocoding    | `/maps/api/geocode/`            | `/localities/geocode/`      |
| Nearby       | `/maps/api/place/nearbysearch/` | `/localities/nearby/`       |

## Autocomplete + Details

Google needs two service instances; Woosmap handles both with one:

### Google Places SDK

```javascript
const autocompleteService = new google.maps.places.AutocompleteService();
autocompleteService.getPlacePredictions({ input: "10 downing" }, (predictions, status) => {
  if (status === "OK" && predictions) {
    const firstPlaceId = predictions[0].place_id;
    getDetails(firstPlaceId);
  }
});

function getDetails(placeId) {
  const placesService = new google.maps.places.PlacesService(document.createElement("div"));
  placesService.getDetails({ placeId: placeId }, (place, status) => {
    if (status === "OK" && place) {
      console.log(place.formatted_address);
      console.log(place.geometry.location.lat()); // lat() is a function
    }
  });
}
```

### Woosmap Map JS API

```javascript
const localitiesService = new woosmap.map.LocalitiesService();

localitiesService
  .autocomplete({ input: "10 downing", types: ["address"], components: {country: ["GB"] })
  .then((response) => {
    if (response.localities && response.localities.length > 0) {
      const firstPublicId = response.localities[0].public_id; // public_id, not place_id
      getDetails(firstPublicId);
    }
  })
  .catch((err) => console.error(err));

function getDetails(publicId) {
  localitiesService
    .getDetails({ publicId: publicId })
    .then((response) => {
      const result = response.result;
      console.log(result.formatted_address);
      console.log(result.geometry.location.lat); // lat is a property, not a function
    })
    .catch((err) => console.error(err));
}
```

## Forward Geocoding

```javascript
// Google Maps
const geocoder = new google.maps.Geocoder();
geocoder.geocode({ address: "10 Downing Street, London" }, (results, status) => {
  if (status === "OK") {
    console.log(results[0].geometry.location.lat()); // function
  }
});

// Woosmap
const localitiesService = new woosmap.map.LocalitiesService();
localitiesService.geocode({ address: "10 Downing Street, London" }).then((response) => {
  console.log(response.results[0].geometry.location.lat); // property
});
```

## Reverse Geocoding

> ⚠️ This one catches people: Google uses the parameter name `location`, Woosmap uses `latlng`.

```javascript
// Google Maps
const geocoder = new google.maps.Geocoder();
geocoder.geocode({ location: { lat: 48.879017, lng: 2.331382 } }, (results, status) => {
  if (status === "OK") {
    console.log(results[0].formatted_address);
  }
});

// Woosmap
const localitiesService = new woosmap.map.LocalitiesService();
localitiesService.geocode({ latlng: { lat: 48.879017, lng: 2.331382 } }).then((response) => {
  console.log(response.results[0].formatted_address);
});
```

## Parameter Mapping

| Feature             | Google Places           | Woosmap Localities      |
| :------------------ | :---------------------- | :---------------------- |
| Place Identifier    | `place_id`              | `public_id`             |
| Authentication      | `key`                   | `key` or `private_key`  |
| Autocomplete Text   | `input`                 | `input`                 |
| Country Filtering   | `components=country:XX` | `components=country:XX` |
| Search Center Point | `location`              | `location`              |
| Reverse geocode     | `location` (JS SDK)     | `latlng` (JS SDK)       |

## What Localities Doesn't Cover

Woosmap Localities focuses on location data — addresses, coordinates, administrative areas, and POIs
(though less granular than Google Places). If you use Google Places for business details like photos,
reviews, ratings, or opening hours, those aren't part of the Localities API. For your own business
locations, the [Store API](/products/stores-api/overview/) is designed exactly for that — manage and search your
stores with full custom properties.