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Amazon Location Service

AWS LabsOfficialCreated by aws-geospatialDistributed by AWS Labs

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Cloud and DevOps
  • Apache-2.0
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From the author

Integrates Amazon Location Service APIs for AWS applications. Use this skill when users want to add maps (interactive MapLibre or static images); geocode addresses to coordinates or reverse geocode coordinates to addresses; calculate routes, travel times, or service areas; find places and businesses through text search, nearby search, or autocomplete suggestions; retrieve detailed place information including hours, contacts, and addresses; monitor geographical boundaries with geofences; or track device locations. Covers authentication, SDK integration, and all Amazon Location Service capabilities.
— the description by aws-geospatial

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Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

Amazon Location Service provides a suite of geospatial APIs for web and mobile applications. This skill covers the integration of maps, geocoding, routing, places search, geofencing, and device tracking. It emphasizes the use of the bundled JavaScript client for web development and promotes resourceless API operations to simplify deployment. The skill also provides guidance on authentication via IAM or API keys, and distinguishes between interactive address input and bulk postal address validation using the Jobs API.

What it does

  • Provides interactive maps using MapLibre and static map images.
  • Converts addresses to coordinates (geocoding) and coordinates to addresses (reverse geocoding).
  • Calculates routes, travel times, and service areas with traffic estimation.
  • Searches for places, businesses, and points of interest with autocomplete functionality.
  • Monitors geographical boundaries with geofences and tracks device locations.
  • Validates and standardizes addresses in bulk against authoritative postal data.

When to use it

  • When building location-aware web or mobile applications on AWS.
  • When you need to implement maps, routing, or place search functionality.
  • When you need to verify and standardize large datasets of addresses in the US, CA, UK, or AU.
  • When you need to track device locations or monitor entry/exit from geofenced areas.
  • When migrating from other mapping providers to Amazon Location Service.

Advantages

  • Supports resourceless API operations to reduce infrastructure management.
  • Provides a bundled JavaScript client for simplified web integration.
  • Offers flexible authentication options including API keys for public applications.
  • Includes specialized APIs for bulk address validation and postal standardization.
  • Integrates seamlessly with other AWS services and SDKs.

Usage examples

“How do I implement an address autocomplete field in my React app using Amazon Location Service?”
The agent provides a guide on using the Autocomplete API, emphasizing the use of Address.Label for display and GetPlace for retrieving full details upon selection.
“I need to validate a large database of customer addresses in the UK. How should I do this?”
The agent explains the use of the asynchronous Jobs API (StartJob with ValidateAddress) for bulk processing, noting that it provides postal-authority verdicts.
“How do I initialize a map in my web application?”
The agent provides instructions on using MapLibre with a direct URL to the map style descriptor and setting validateStyle to false for performance.
“What are the best practices for securing my map implementation on a public website?”
The agent recommends using API Keys with restricted AllowActions and AllowResources, rather than exposing IAM credentials.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/awslabs/amazon-location-service/download

  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip amazon-location-service.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by aws-geospatial

Overview

Amazon Location Service provides geospatial APIs for maps, geocoding, routing, places search, geofencing, and tracking. Prefer the bundled JavaScript client (@aws/amazon-location-client) for web development and use resourceless API operations to avoid managing AWS resources.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

  • Building location-aware web or mobile applications

  • Working with Amazon Location Service projects

  • Implementing maps, geocoding, routing, or places search

  • Adding geofencing or device tracking functionality

  • Integrating geospatial features into AWS applications

Do NOT use this skill for:

  • Google Maps, Mapbox, or Leaflet-with-OSM projects (unless migrating to Amazon Location)

  • Generic GIS operations without AWS context

  • Non-AWS geospatial services

Amazon Location Service API Overview

Places (SDK: geo-places, JS: @aws-sdk/client-geo-places)

  • Geocode (Forward/Reverse): Convert addresses to coordinates and vice versa

  • Search (Text/Nearby): Find points of interest with contact and hours info

  • Autocomplete: Predict addresses based on user input

  • Suggest: Predict places and points of interest based on partial or misspelled user input

  • Get Place: Retrieve place details by place ID

Jobs (SDK: location, JS: @aws-sdk/client-location)

  • Address Validation: Verify and standardize addresses in bulk with the asynchronous Jobs API (StartJob with Action ValidateAddress, then GetJob/ListJobs/CancelJob). It adds what Geocode lacks — a postal-authority verdict (ValidationGranularity, Mailable/Locatable, per-component StatusDetail), not just coordinates. Coverage is US, CA, UK, and AU only; for other countries use Geocode.

Maps (SDK: geo-maps, JS: @aws-sdk/client-geo-maps)

  • Dynamic Maps: Interactive maps using tiles with MapLibre rendering

  • Static Maps: Pre-rendered, non-interactive map images, good for including an image into a web page, or for thumbnail images

Routes (SDK: geo-routes, JS: @aws-sdk/client-geo-routes)

  • Route calculation with traffic and distance estimation

  • Service area/isoline creation

  • Matrix calculations for multiple origins/destinations

  • GPS trace alignment to road segments

  • Route optimization (traveling salesman problem)

Geofences & Trackers (SDK: location, JS: @aws-sdk/client-location)

  • Geofences: Detect entry/exit from geographical boundaries

  • Trackers: Current and historical device location tracking

API Keys (SDK: location, JS: @aws-sdk/client-location)

  • API Keys: Grant access to public applications without exposing AWS credentials

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors:

  1. Using Title instead of Address.Label for display: In Autocomplete results, always display Address.Label. The Title field may show components in reverse order and is not suitable for user-facing text.

  2. Using GetStyleDescriptor API for map initialization: MUST use direct URL passing to MapLibre (https://maps.geo.{region}.amazonaws.com/v2/styles/Standard/descriptor?key={apiKey}) instead of making GetStyleDescriptor API calls. The direct URL method is required for proper map rendering.

  3. Forgetting validateStyle: false in MapLibre config: Always set validateStyle: false in the MapLibre Map constructor for faster map load times with Amazon Location styles.

  4. Mixing resource-based and resourceless operations: When possible, prefer resourceless operations (direct API calls without pre-created resources) for simpler deployment and permissions.

  5. Inconsistent API operation naming: Use the format service:Operation when referencing APIs (e.g., geo-places:Geocode, geo-maps:GetStyleDescriptor). SDK clients use @aws-sdk/client-* format.

  6. Not handling nested Address objects correctly: The Address object from GetPlace contains nested objects (Region.Code, Region.Name, Country.Code2, etc.), not flat strings. Access nested properties correctly.

  7. Wrong action names in API Key permissions: API key AllowActions use geo-maps:, geo-places:, geo-routes: prefixes (e.g., geo-places:Geocode, geo-routes:CalculateRoutes). Do NOT use SDK client names (@aws-sdk/client-geo-places) or IAM-style actions. See the Authentication and Permissions section for the complete list.

Defaults

Use these default choices unless the user explicitly requests otherwise:

  • JavaScript SDK: Bundled client (CDN) for browser-only apps; npm modular SDKs (@aws-sdk/client-geo-*) for React and build tool apps

  • API operations: Resourceless for Maps/Places/Routes (Geofencing/Tracking always require pre-created resources)

  • Authentication: API Key for Maps/Places/Routes; Cognito for Geofencing/Tracking

  • Map style: Standard

  • Coordinate format: [longitude, latitude] (GeoJSON order)

Override: User can specify "use Cognito for Maps/Places/Routes" or "use bundled client for React".

API Selection Guidance

Choose the right API for your use case:

Address Input (interactive forms)

  • Autocomplete → Type-ahead in address forms (partial input: "123 Main")

  • GetPlace → Get full details after user selects autocomplete result (by PlaceId)

  • Geocode → Resolve a complete user-typed address to coordinates. Returns coordinates, a matched label, and match quality (MatchScores overall + per-component, AddressNumberCorrected) synchronously in one call — but no postal-deliverability verdict or standardized output.

Address Validation (verify & standardize)

  • StartJob (Action ValidateAddress) → Verify and standardize addresses in bulk against authoritative postal data; async Jobs API with Parquet input/output in Amazon S3. Coverage: US, CA, UK, AU only; for other countries use Geocode.

  • GetJob / ListJobs / CancelJob → Track, enumerate, and cancel validation jobs

  • Choose the Jobs API when you need a postal-authority verdict (ValidationGranularity, Mailable/Locatable, per-component StatusDetail) or bulk throughput. For a single ad-hoc check of whether one address resolves and how well it matched, the synchronous Geocode MatchScores is the right tool — do not stand up a job. See the address-verification reference.

Finding Locations

  • SearchText → General text search ("pizza near Seattle")

  • SearchNearby → Find places near a coordinate (restaurants within 5km)

  • Suggest → Predict places/POIs from partial or misspelled input

  • Autocomplete → Address-specific predictions (not for general POI search)

Geocoding

  • Geocode (Forward) → Address string → Coordinates

  • ReverseGeocode → Coordinates → Address

Maps

  • Dynamic Maps (tiles + MapLibre) → Interactive maps requiring pan, zoom, markers

  • Static Maps (image) → Non-interactive map images for thumbnails or email

Routing

  • CalculateRoutes → Single route between origin and destination

  • CalculateRouteMatrix → Multiple origins/destinations travel times

  • CalculateIsolines → Service areas (all locations reachable within time/distance)

LLM Context Files

When you need detailed API parameter specifications or service capabilities not covered in the reference files, fetch these llms.txt resources:

Key Guidance for Better Recommendations

Prefer the Bundled JavaScript Client for Web Development

For convenient web application development, Amazon Location Service provides a bundled JavaScript client that simplifies integration and provides optimized functionality without custom bundling. This bundled client includes all libraries required to build client side web applications with Amazon Location Service.

Features included in the bundled client:

  • Enables direct pre-bundled dependency inclusion without custom bundle / build

  • Simplified authentication and API integration

  • TypeScript support with comprehensive type definitions

  • Support for all Amazon Location SDKs

Included SDKs and Libraries:

Resources:

Prefer Resourceless Operations

Amazon Location Places, Maps and Routes services offer both resource-based and resourceless API operations. Resourceless operations are often simpler and more appropriate for many use cases.

Resource-based operations require you to:

  • Create and configure Amazon Location Service resources (maps, place indexes, route calculators)

  • Manage resource lifecycle and permissions

  • Handle resource naming and organization

Resourceless operations allow you to:

  • Make API calls directly without pre-creating resources

  • Reduce deployment complexity

  • Simplify IAM permissions and API Key permissions

Authentication and Permissions

When discussing permissions for Amazon Location Places, Maps and Routes services, always include both IAM permissions and API Key permissions in your guidance. If the type of application being developed is clear, recommend the appropriate authorization tool as described below:

IAM Permissions - Recommended for server-side applications and AWS SDK usage:

  • Used with AWS credentials (access keys, roles, etc.)

  • Provide fine-grained access control

  • Required for resource management operations

API Key Permissions - Alternative authentication method, especially useful for client-side applications or applications deployed to unauthenticated (public) users:

  • Simplified authentication without exposing AWS credentials

  • Can be configured with specific allowed operations

  • Useful for web and mobile applications

  • Supports both resource-based and resourceless operations

  • Enables faster subsequent map loads through CDN caching

API Key Action Names - API keys use their own action naming convention. Do NOT use SDK client names or IAM action names — they will be rejected.

Resourceless API key actions (recommended):

ServiceAllowActionsAllowResources
Mapsgeo-maps:GetTile, geo-maps:GetStaticMaparn:aws:geo-maps:REGION::provider/default
Placesgeo-places:Autocomplete, geo-places:Geocode, geo-places:ReverseGeocode, geo-places:SearchText, geo-places:SearchNearby, geo-places:Suggest, geo-places:GetPlacearn:aws:geo-places:REGION::provider/default
Routesgeo-routes:CalculateRoutes, geo-routes:CalculateRouteMatrix, geo-routes:CalculateIsolines, geo-routes:OptimizeWaypoints, geo-routes:SnapToRoadsarn:aws:geo-routes:REGION::provider/default

Do NOT use legacy geo: prefixed actions (e.g., geo:GetMap*, geo:CalculateRoute) — these are for pre-created resources only and will not work with resourceless APIs.

LocationClient Setup

Geofencing and Tracking use LocationClient (@aws-sdk/client-location). These are resource-based operations — you MUST create resources (trackers, geofence collections) before using them.

import { LocationClient } from "@aws-sdk/client-location";

// Server-side: uses IAM credentials from environment/role
const client = new LocationClient({ region: "us-east-1" });
// Client-side: uses Amazon Cognito
import { LocationClient } from "@aws-sdk/client-location";
import { fromCognitoIdentityPool } from "@aws-sdk/credential-providers";

const client = new LocationClient({
  region: "us-east-1",
  credentials: fromCognitoIdentityPool({
    identityPoolId: "us-east-1:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
    clientConfig: { region: "us-east-1" },
  }),
});

MCP Server Integration

Integrates with the AWS MCP Server (Apache-2.0 license) which provides access to AWS documentation, API references, and direct API interactions. See the Getting Started Guide for setup and credential configuration. To use a non-default region, add "--metadata", "AWS_REGION=<your-region>" to your MCP config args.

Additional Resources

Reference Files

Load these resources as needed for specific implementation guidance:

  • Address Input - Create effective address input forms for users with address type ahead completion improving input speed and accuracy

  • Address Verification - Verify and standardize addresses in bulk against authoritative postal data using the asynchronous Jobs API (StartJob with Action ValidateAddress), before persisting to databases or taking downstream actions

  • Calculate Routes - Calculate routes between locations with customizable travel options and display them on maps

  • Device Tracking - Track device locations in real time and query position history

  • Dynamic Map Rendering - Render dynamic maps with MapLibre

  • Google Maps Migration (Android) - Migrate Android application from Google Maps SDK for Android to Amazon Location Service

  • Google Maps Migration (iOS) - Migrate iOS application from Google Maps SDK for iOS to Amazon Location Service

  • Google Maps Migration (JavaScript) - Migrate JavaScript web application from Google Maps API to Amazon Location Service

  • Places Search - Search for places or points of interest

  • Web JavaScript - Integrate Amazon Location services into web browser applications

  • Zone Alerts - Monitor device positions against geographic boundaries and react to zone entry or exit

Files

references/places-search.md

Places Search

Audience Note: Keywords MUST, SHOULD, MAY in this document indicate requirements for agent recommendations to users, following RFC 2119.

Search for places, points of interest, businesses, and addresses using Amazon Location Service Places APIs.

Table of Contents

  • Overview

  • API Selection Guide

  • Additional Features

  • SearchText Examples

  • SearchNearby Examples

  • Suggest Examples

  • Response Handling

  • Error Handling

  • Best Practices

Overview

Amazon Location provides three main search APIs:

  • SearchText - General text-based search ("tacos in Austin")

  • SearchNearby - Location-proximity search (find restaurants within 5km)

  • Suggest - Predictive search with partial/misspelled input

  • GetPlace - Fetch complete details by PlaceId

API Selection Guide

Use CaseAPIExample
User searches for business/POI by nameSearchText"Starbucks near downtown"
User searches by categorySearchText"restaurants in Vancouver"
Find places near a point on mapSearchNearbyFind gas stations within 10km of current location
Type-ahead for place names (not addresses)Suggest"star" → Starbucks, Starwood Hotel
Type-ahead for addressesAutocompleteUse address-input reference instead
Get full details after searchGetPlaceFetch hours, contact info by PlaceId

Additional Features

Places APIs support an AdditionalFeatures parameter that returns extra details beyond the default response. Request them by adding AdditionalFeatures: ["Contact", "TimeZone", ...] to your API call.

Pricing note: Requesting additional features moves the request into the Advanced pricing bucket, which is priced higher than the default Core bucket. Review Places pricing before enabling them in production.

FeatureGetPlaceSearchTextSearchNearbySuggest
ContactYesYesYesNo
Opening HoursYesYesYesNo
Time ZoneYesYesYesYes
PhonemesYesYesYesYes
Access PointsYesYesYesYes

For the full feature-by-API matrix (including Geocode, ReverseGeocode, and Autocomplete), see Additional features.

Contacts and Opening Hours

Contact and opening hours data is available on GetPlace, SearchText, and SearchNearby. Request both by including "Contact" in the AdditionalFeatures array. The valid AdditionalFeatures enum values are TimeZone, Phonemes, Access, and Contact (GetPlace also supports SecondaryAddresses). There is no separate "OpeningHours" enum value — requesting "Contact" returns both contact details and opening hours.

Contacts can include:

  • Phone number — primary contact number, may include international dialing codes

  • Email address — primary contact email from the public listing

  • Website — link to the official site

Opening hours can include:

  • Regular hours — standard weekly schedule (e.g., Mon–Fri 9 AM–5 PM)

  • Special hours — holiday or event overrides to the regular schedule

  • Open now — whether the location is currently open based on local time

// Request contacts and opening hours
const command = new amazonLocationClient.places.SearchTextCommand({
  QueryText: "coffee shops in Austin",
  AdditionalFeatures: ["Contact"],
  MaxResults: 5,
});

const response = await client.send(command);

response.ResultItems.forEach((place) => {
  console.log(place.Title);
  console.log("Phone:", place.Contacts?.Phones?.[0]?.Value);
  console.log("Website:", place.Contacts?.Websites?.[0]?.Value);
  console.log("Hours:", place.OpeningHours);
});

For more details, see Contacts and opening hours.

SearchText Examples

For exact request parameters and response structure, see the SearchText API Reference.

Basic Text Search
const authHelper = amazonLocationClient.withAPIKey(API_KEY, REGION);
const client = new amazonLocationClient.GeoPlacesClient(
  authHelper.getClientConfig(),
);

async function searchPlaces(query) {
  try {
    const command = new amazonLocationClient.places.SearchTextCommand({
      QueryText: query,
      MaxResults: 10,
    });

    const response = await client.send(command);

    // Display results
    response.ResultItems.forEach((place) => {
      console.log(place.Title); // "Starbucks"
      console.log(place.Address?.Label); // "123 Main St, Austin, TX"
      console.log(place.Position); // [lon, lat]
      // Categories are objects: { Id: string, Name: string, LocalizedName?: string, Primary?: boolean }
      console.log(place.Categories); // [{ Id: "9000", Name: "Coffee Shop" }, { Id: "5814", Name: "Café" }]
      console.log(place.PlaceId); // For fetching details
    });

    return response.ResultItems;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("Search error:", error);
    return [];
  }
}

// Usage
searchPlaces("coffee shops in Austin");
Search with Geographic Bias
// Bias results toward a specific location
async function searchNear(query, biasPosition) {
  const command = new amazonLocationClient.places.SearchTextCommand({
    QueryText: query,
    BiasPosition: biasPosition, // [lon, lat] - prefer results near here
    MaxResults: 10,
  });

  const response = await client.send(command);
  return response.ResultItems;
}

// Usage - find tacos near Austin
searchNear("tacos", [-97.7431, 30.2747]);
Search with Category Filter

Important: Amazon Location uses specific Category IDs for filtering. Common examples include restaurant, coffee_shop, grocery, hotel, bank, fueling_station, pharmacy, and hospital. See the complete list in the Place Categories Documentation.

Note: Category filtering (IncludeCategories) is only supported by SearchNearby, not SearchText — SearchText silently ignores it. To filter by category, use SearchNearbyCommand with a QueryPosition.

async function searchByCategory(position, categories) {
  const command = new amazonLocationClient.places.SearchNearbyCommand({
    QueryPosition: position, // [lon, lat]
    Filter: {
      IncludeCategories: categories, // Filter by valid category IDs
    },
    MaxResults: 20,
  });

  const response = await client.send(command);
  return response.ResultItems;
}

// Usage - find only restaurants and coffee shops near a location
searchByCategory([-97.7431, 30.2747], ["restaurant", "coffee_shop"]);
Search with Bounding Box
// Restrict search to specific geographic area
async function searchInBounds(query, boundingBox) {
  const command = new amazonLocationClient.places.SearchTextCommand({
    QueryText: query,
    Filter: {
      BoundingBox: boundingBox, // [west, south, east, north]
    },
    MaxResults: 10,
  });

  const response = await client.send(command);
  return response.ResultItems;
}

// Usage - find hotels in downtown Austin area
const austinDowntown = [-97.7535, 30.2586, -97.7327, 30.2747];
searchInBounds("hotels", austinDowntown);

SearchNearby Examples

For exact request parameters and response structure, see the SearchNearby API Reference.

Basic Proximity Search
async function searchNearby(position, radius, categories = null) {
  const params = {
    QueryPosition: position, // [lon, lat]
    MaxResults: 20,
  };

  // Optional: filter by categories
  if (categories) {
    params.Filter = { IncludeCategories: categories };
  }

  // Optional: specify radius (default is context-dependent)
  if (radius) {
    params.QueryRadius = radius; // in meters
  }

  const command = new amazonLocationClient.places.SearchNearbyCommand(params);

  try {
    const response = await client.send(command);

    // Results are already sorted by distance
    response.ResultItems.forEach((place) => {
      console.log(place.Title);
      console.log(place.Distance, "meters away");
      console.log(place.Position);
    });

    return response.ResultItems;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("Nearby search error:", error);
    return [];
  }
}

// Usage - find restaurants within 5km
const userLocation = [-97.7431, 30.2747];
searchNearby(userLocation, 5000, ["restaurant"]);
Find Nearest of Type
// Find single nearest place of a specific type
async function findNearest(position, category) {
  const command = new amazonLocationClient.places.SearchNearbyCommand({
    QueryPosition: position,
    Filter: { IncludeCategories: [category] },
    MaxResults: 1, // Just the nearest
  });

  const response = await client.send(command);

  if (response.ResultItems.length === 0) {
    return null;
  }

  return response.ResultItems[0];
}

// Usage - find nearest fueling station
const nearest = await findNearest([-97.7431, 30.2747], "fueling_station");
if (nearest) {
  console.log(`Nearest: ${nearest.Title}, ${nearest.Distance}m away`);
}
Search with Map Integration
// Display nearby search results on map
async function showNearbyOnMap(map, position, category) {
  const results = await searchNearby(position, 2000, [category]);

  // Clear existing markers
  document.querySelectorAll(".nearby-marker").forEach((el) => el.remove());

  // Add markers for each result
  results.forEach((place, index) => {
    const marker = new maplibregl.Marker({ color: "#FF0000" })
      .setLngLat(place.Position)
      .setPopup(
        new maplibregl.Popup().setHTML(`
          <h4>${place.Title}</h4>
          <p>${place.Address?.Label || ""}</p>
          <p>${Math.round(place.Distance)}m away</p>
        `),
      )
      .addTo(map);

    marker.getElement().classList.add("nearby-marker");
  });

  // Fit map to show all results
  if (results.length > 0) {
    const bounds = new maplibregl.LngLatBounds();
    results.forEach((place) => bounds.extend(place.Position));
    bounds.extend(position); // Include search center
    map.fitBounds(bounds, { padding: 50 });
  }
}

Suggest Examples

For exact request parameters and response structure, see the Suggest API Reference.

Suggest Response Structure

Suggest returns items with a SuggestResultItemType that can be "Place" or "Query":

  • Place results: Have item.Place.PlaceId, item.Place.Position, item.Place.Address — use PlaceId with GetPlace for full details

  • Query results: Have item.Query.QueryText — these are search refinement suggestions, not actual places

Always check item.Place?.PlaceId before attempting to call GetPlace.

Predictive Place Search
// Like Autocomplete but for places/POIs (not just addresses)
async function suggestPlaces(partialQuery, biasPosition = null) {
  const params = {
    QueryText: partialQuery,
    MaxResults: 5,
  };

  if (biasPosition) {
    params.BiasPosition = biasPosition;
  }

  const command = new amazonLocationClient.places.SuggestCommand(params);

  try {
    const response = await client.send(command);

    response.ResultItems.forEach((item) => {
      console.log(item.Title); // "Starbucks"
      console.log(item.Place?.PlaceId); // For fetching full details
      console.log(item.SuggestResultItemType); // "Place" or "Query"
    });

    return response.ResultItems;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("Suggest error:", error);
    return [];
  }
}

// Usage - type-ahead for place search
document.getElementById("place-search").addEventListener("input", async (e) => {
  const query = e.target.value;

  if (query.length < 3) return;

  const suggestions = await suggestPlaces(query);

  // Display suggestions (similar to autocomplete)
  displaySuggestions(suggestions);
});

Response Handling

For exact request parameters and response structure for fetching place details, see the GetPlace API Reference.

Parse Place Details
function parsePlaceResult(place) {
  return {
    id: place.PlaceId,
    name: place.Title,
    address: place.Address?.Label || "Address not available",
    coordinates: {
      lat: place.Position[1],
      lon: place.Position[0],
    },
    categories: (place.Categories || []).map((c) => c.Name), // Category is { Id, Name, LocalizedName?, Primary? }
    primaryCategory: place.Categories?.find((c) => c.Primary)?.Name,
    distance: place.Distance, // Only in SearchNearby results

    // Optional fields - check before using
    phone: place.Contacts?.Phones?.[0]?.Value,
    website: place.Contacts?.Websites?.[0]?.Value,

    // Use GetPlace for more details
    hasMoreDetails: !!place.PlaceId,
  };
}

// Usage
const results = await searchPlaces("coffee");
const parsed = results.map(parsePlaceResult);
Fetch Complete Details
// Get full details including hours, contact info
async function getPlaceDetails(placeId) {
  const command = new amazonLocationClient.places.GetPlaceCommand({
    PlaceId: placeId,
  });

  try {
    const response = await client.send(command);

    return {
      name: response.Title,
      address: response.Address,
      position: response.Position,
      categories: response.Categories,
      contacts: {
        phones: response.Contacts?.Phones || [],
        websites: response.Contacts?.Websites || [],
        emails: response.Contacts?.Emails || [],
      },
      openingHours: response.OpeningHours || [],
      accessPoints: response.AccessPoints || [], // Entrances
      timeZone: response.TimeZone,
    };
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("GetPlace error:", error);
    return null;
  }
}

// Usage - user clicks on search result to see details
async function showPlaceDetails(placeId) {
  const details = await getPlaceDetails(placeId);

  if (details) {
    console.log("Phone:", details.contacts.phones[0]?.Value);
    console.log("Hours:", details.openingHours);
  }
}

Error Handling

Common Errors
async function searchWithErrorHandling(query) {
  try {
    const command = new amazonLocationClient.places.SearchTextCommand({
      QueryText: query,
      MaxResults: 10,
    });

    const response = await client.send(command);

    if (response.ResultItems.length === 0) {
      // No results found
      showMessage("No places found. Try a different search.");
      return [];
    }

    return response.ResultItems;
  } catch (error) {
    // API errors
    if (error.name === "ValidationException") {
      showMessage("Invalid search query. Please check your input.");
    } else if (error.name === "AccessDeniedException") {
      showMessage("API key lacks permission for place search.");
    } else if (error.name === "ThrottlingException") {
      showMessage("Too many requests. Please wait and try again.");
    } else {
      showMessage("Search failed. Please try again.");
    }

    console.error("Search error:", error);
    return [];
  }
}
Retry with Fallback
// Try nearby search, fall back to text search if no results
async function searchWithFallback(query, position) {
  // Try nearby search first
  let results = await searchNearby(position, 5000);

  if (results.length === 0) {
    console.log("No nearby results, trying text search...");
    // Fall back to text search with position bias
    results = await searchNear(query, position);
  }

  return results;
}

Best Practices

Performance

  • Debounce search input: Wait 300ms after user stops typing

  • Consider pricing for caching: If storing results beyond temporary session caching, review Places API Stored Pricing and use IntendedUse: "Storage" parameter.

  • Limit MaxResults: Request only what you'll display (10-20 typically)

  • Cancel in-flight requests: Cancel previous search when user types new query

User Experience

  • Show loading state: Spinner or skeleton UI during search

  • Display distance: Show distance for SearchNearby results

  • Group by category: Organize results by Categories

  • Pagination: Load more results as user scrolls

  • Empty states: Helpful message when no results ("Try different keywords")

Data Quality

  • Validate coordinates: Ensure Position is valid [lon, lat]

  • Handle missing fields: Not all places have phone/website/hours

  • Use PlaceId: Store PlaceId for future GetPlace calls, not full details

  • Respect Categories: Use Categories array for filtering and display

Search Optimization

  • Use BiasPosition: Improves relevance for location-aware searches

  • Combine filters: Use Categories + BoundingBox for precise results

  • Choose right API: SearchText for queries, SearchNearby for proximity

  • Prefer SearchNearby: For "near me" features (faster, more relevant)

Error Handling

  • Handle no results: Suggest alternative searches or expand radius

  • Show partial results: Display what you have even if some fail

  • Retry on network errors: Retry once after brief delay

  • Log for debugging: Log errors with search parameters for troubleshooting

Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Needs: Needs an MCP server, Needs an API key

Security

No issues found by our static scan· No issues found

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

Created by
aws-geospatial
Publisher
AWS Labs (Official)
Distributed by
AWS Labs
Source
awslabs/agent-plugins · plugins/amazon-location-service/skills/amazon-location-service · commit fbefb37
Licence
Apache License 2.0 (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • NOTICE (added by AutoGineer from NOTICE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by aws-geospatial or AWS Labs.

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download amazon-location-service.zip