How to load Google Places API in React Native?

Question

I am trying to use the Google Places API in react native. I first tried using fetch to make requests directly, but I just saw that you have to use the existing classes/objects provided by Google, like the PlacesService. Searching for React Native libraries that include the API objects for you just brings up some that do the autocomplete feature and not much else.

The Places API docs say to load the library using this url: <script type="text/javascript" src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?key=YOUR_API_KEY&libraries=places"></script>

This is straightforward to me in regular web dev, but not in react native. What is the standard procedure for loading a library like this in React Native?

Right now I have copy and pasted the JS contents from the link above into a file in my React Native project. But, I don't even know how to export it as I can't really tell what the name of the object/function is. google ? google.maps ?

Right now I am doing:

export default google.maps

and also tried

export default google

but these both throw this error:

cannot read property 'createElement' of undefined

This is my first React Native project, so I'm sorry if this is a basic question.

Thanks for the help.

Answer 1

but I just saw that you have to use the existing classes/objects provided by Google

I'm not sure what you mean by that. Places api can be done via fetch/api request. Look at how react-native-google-places does it at https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-google-places-autocomplete/blob/master/GooglePlacesAutocomplete.js#L227 They use a new XMLHttpRequest(); but fetch() would work as well. It is web api and I don't think you need to run any external javascript/load any external js files.