Find a route and directions

Learn how to find a route and directions with the route service.

Routing is the process of finding the path from an origin to a destination in a street network. You can use the Routing service to find routes, get driving directions, calculate drive times, and solve complicated, multiple vehicle routing problems. To create a route, you typically define a set of stops (origin and one or more destinations) and use the service to find a route with directions. You can also use a number of additional parameters such as barriers and mode of travel to refine the results.

In this tutorial, you define an origin and destination by clicking on the map. These values are used to get a route and directions from the route service. The directions are also displayed on the map.

Prerequisites

Before starting this tutorial:

You need an ArcGIS Location Platform or ArcGIS Online account.
A development and deployment environment that meets the system requirements.
An IDE for Android development in Kotlin.

Steps

Get an access token

You need an access token to use the location services used in this tutorial.

Go to the Create an API key tutorial to obtain an access token.
Ensure that the following privileges are enabled: Location services > Basemaps > Basemap styles service and Location services > Routing.
Copy the access token as it will be used in the next step.

To learn more about other ways to get an access token, go to Types of authentication.

Open an Android Studio project

To start this tutorial, complete the Display a map tutorial. Or download and unzip the Display a map solution in a new folder.

Modify the old project for use in this new tutorial. Expand More info for instructions.

On your file system, delete the .idea folder, if present, at the top level of your project.
In the Android tool window, open app > res > values > strings.xml.

In the <string name="app_name"> element, change the text content to Find a route and directions.
strings.xml
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```
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<resources>

    <string name="app_name">Find a route and directions</string>

</resources>
```

In the Android tool window, open Gradle Scripts > settings.gradle.kts.

Change the value of rootProject.name to "Find a route and directions".

settings.gradle.kts
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dependencyResolutionManagement {
    repositoriesMode.set(RepositoriesMode.FAIL_ON_PROJECT_REPOS)
    repositories {
        google()
        mavenCentral()
        maven { url = uri("https://esri.jfrog.io/artifactory/arcgis") }
    }
}

rootProject.name = "Find a route and directions"
include(":app")

The UI theme composable in Display a map tutorial was DisplayAMapTheme. Rename the theme composable throughout the tutorial by refactoring DisplayAMapTheme.

In the Android tool window, open app > kotlin+java > com.exmple.app > ui.theme > Theme.kt.

Right-click the function name DisplayAMapTheme and select Refactor -> Rename. Replace the name with FindARouteAndDirectionsTheme.

Theme.kt
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@Composable
fun DisplayAMapTheme(

    darkTheme: Boolean = isSystemInDarkTheme(),
    // Dynamic color is available on Android 12+
    dynamicColor: Boolean = true,
    content: @Composable () -> Unit
) {
    val colorScheme = when {
        dynamicColor && Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.S -> {
            val context = LocalContext.current
            if (darkTheme) dynamicDarkColorScheme(context) else dynamicLightColorScheme(context)
        }

        darkTheme -> DarkColorScheme
        else -> LightColorScheme
    }

Click File > Sync Project with Gradle files. Android Studio will recognize your changes and create a new .idea folder.

Set the API key using the copied access token.

An API Key gives your app access to secure resources used in this tutorial.
1. In Android Studio: in the Android tool window, open app > java > com.example.app > MainActivity.
2. In the setApiKey() function, find the ApiKey.create() call and paste your copied access token inside the double quotes, replacing YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN.
  MainActivity.kt
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  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 private fun setApiKey() { ArcGISEnvironment.apiKey = ApiKey.create("YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN") }
  Warning
  The access token is stored directly in the code as a convenience for this tutorial. Storing access tokens in the source code is not best practice.

Add import statements and some Compose variables

In the Android tool window, open app > kotlin+java > com.example.app > screens > MainScreen.kt. Replace the import statements with the imports needed for this tutorial.

MainScreen.kt
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@file:OptIn(ExperimentalMaterial3Api::class)

package com.example.app.screens

import android.content.Context
import android.widget.Toast
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Column
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxHeight
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxWidth
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.width
import androidx.compose.foundation.lazy.LazyColumn
import androidx.compose.material3.Divider
import androidx.compose.material3.ExperimentalMaterial3Api
import androidx.compose.material3.Scaffold
import androidx.compose.material3.Text
import androidx.compose.material3.TopAppBar
import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
import androidx.compose.runtime.MutableState
import androidx.compose.runtime.mutableStateListOf
import androidx.compose.runtime.mutableStateOf
import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
import androidx.compose.runtime.rememberCoroutineScope
import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalContext
import androidx.compose.ui.res.stringResource
import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
import com.arcgismaps.Color
import com.arcgismaps.geometry.Point
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.ArcGISMap
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.BasemapStyle
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.Viewpoint
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.symbology.SimpleLineSymbol
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.symbology.SimpleLineSymbolStyle
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.symbology.SimpleMarkerSymbol
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.symbology.SimpleMarkerSymbolStyle
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.view.Graphic
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.view.GraphicsOverlay
import com.arcgismaps.mapping.view.SingleTapConfirmedEvent
import com.arcgismaps.tasks.networkanalysis.DirectionManeuver
import com.arcgismaps.tasks.networkanalysis.RouteParameters
import com.arcgismaps.tasks.networkanalysis.RouteResult
import com.arcgismaps.tasks.networkanalysis.RouteTask
import com.arcgismaps.tasks.networkanalysis.Stop
import com.arcgismaps.toolkit.geoviewcompose.MapView
import com.example.app.R
import kotlinx.coroutines.CoroutineScope
import kotlinx.coroutines.Job
import kotlinx.coroutines.launch

In the MainScreen composable, create variables that will be passed to various functions in the MainScreen.kt file.

The remember() function will remember the value across recomposition. The rememberCoroutineScope() obtains a composition-aware scope to launch a coroutine outside a composable.

MainScreen.kt
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@Composable
fun MainScreen() {

    val context = LocalContext.current
    val coroutineScope = rememberCoroutineScope()
    val directionList = remember { mutableStateListOf("Tap to add two points to the map to find a route between them.") }
    val routeStops = remember { mutableListOf<Stop>() }
    val currentJob = remember { mutableStateOf<Job?>(null) }
    // Create a graphics overlay to display the selected stops and route.
    val graphicsOverlay = remember { GraphicsOverlay() }
    val graphicsOverlays = remember { listOf(graphicsOverlay) }

    val map = remember {
        createMap()
    }

    Scaffold(topBar = { TopAppBar(title = { Text(text = stringResource(id = R.string.app_name)) }) }) {

            MapView(
                modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth().fillMaxHeight(0.7f),
                arcGISMap = map,

            )

    }

}

Update the map

A streets basemap layer is typically used in routing applications. In createMap(), update the basemap to use the ArcGISStreets BasemapStyle, and change the position of the map to center on Los Angeles.

MainScreen.kt
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fun createMap(): ArcGISMap {

    return ArcGISMap(BasemapStyle.ArcGISStreets).apply {
        initialViewpoint = Viewpoint(
            latitude = 34.0539,
            longitude = -118.2453,
            scale = 144447.638572
        )
    }

}

Define a `RoutesList` to display driving directions

To display the turn-by-turn directions from the route, define a composable function named RoutesList that takes a MutableList<String> parameter named directionsList.

Inside the RouteList block, add a LazyColumn to hold UI items that are based on the directions list. Inside the LazyColumn, call the items() function, passing the size of the directions list.

The trailing lambda for items() is automatically invoked once for each string in the list, adding a UI item to the LazyColumn for each string. In the lambda, call Text to display the string, and then call Divider to create a light-gray horizontal line after the text. The result of calling RoutesList will be a scrollable list of directions, with items separated by lines.

MainScreen.kt
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@Composable
fun RoutesList(directionList: MutableList<String>) {
    LazyColumn {
        items(directionList.size) { index ->
            Text(text = directionList[index] + ".")
            Divider(
                modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth(),
                thickness = 1.dp,
                color = androidx.compose.ui.graphics.Color.LightGray
            )
        }
    }
}

Create an `addStop()` function

A RouteTask requires at least an origin and a destination stop to find a route. Create a function that adds a Stop object to the routeStops list and creates a graphic to display the stop.

When a user taps on the map, a stop will be added to a list of route stops. In this tutorial, the first tap will create the origin stop and the second will create the destination stop.

MainScreen.kt
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fun addStop(
    routeStops: MutableList<Stop>,
    stop: Stop,
    graphicsOverlay: GraphicsOverlay
) {
    routeStops.add(stop)
    // Create a green circle symbol for the stop.
    val stopMarker = SimpleMarkerSymbol(
        style = SimpleMarkerSymbolStyle.Circle, color = Color.green, size = 20f
    )
    // Get the stop's geometry.
    val routeStopGeometry = stop.geometry
    // Add graphic to graphics overlay.
    graphicsOverlay.graphics.add(
        Graphic(
            geometry = routeStopGeometry,
            symbol = stopMarker
        )
    )
}

Create a `findRoute()` function

A task can make asynchronous requests to an online service or offline data and then return the results. In this tutorial, we will solve the route between the origin and destination stops using a RouteTask that accesses a routing service.

Create a suspend function named findRoute() that takes the parameters shown below. Then create a RouteTask from a routing service.

A routing service with global coverage is part of ArcGIS location services. You can also publish custom routing services using ArcGIS Enterprise.

MainScreen.kt
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suspend fun findRoute(
    context: Context,
    routeStops: MutableList<Stop>,
    graphicsOverlay: GraphicsOverlay,
    directionsList: MutableList<String>
) {

    val routeTask = RouteTask(
        url = "https://route-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/Route/NAServer/Route_World"
    )

}

Using routeTask, create the default RouteParameters needed to solve a route. Then use routeParameters to set the route stops and specify that step-by-step directions should be returned. Wrap the code in try-catch blocks.

MainScreen.kt
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suspend fun findRoute(
    context: Context,
    routeStops: MutableList<Stop>,
    graphicsOverlay: GraphicsOverlay,
    directionsList: MutableList<String>
) {

    val routeTask = RouteTask(
        url = "https://route-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/Route/NAServer/Route_World"
    )

    // Create a job to find the route.
    try {
        val routeParameters: RouteParameters = routeTask.createDefaultParameters().getOrThrow()
        routeParameters.setStops(routeStops)
        routeParameters.returnDirections = true

    } catch (e: Exception) {
        showMessage(context, "Failed to find route: ${e.message}")
    }

}

Using routeTask, solve the route and get the list of routes from the route result.

MainScreen.kt
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suspend fun findRoute(
    context: Context,
    routeStops: MutableList<Stop>,
    graphicsOverlay: GraphicsOverlay,
    directionsList: MutableList<String>
) {

    val routeTask = RouteTask(
        url = "https://route-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/Route/NAServer/Route_World"
    )

    // Create a job to find the route.
    try {
        val routeParameters: RouteParameters = routeTask.createDefaultParameters().getOrThrow()
        routeParameters.setStops(routeStops)
        routeParameters.returnDirections = true

        // Solve a route using the route parameters created.
        val routeResult: RouteResult = routeTask.solveRoute(routeParameters).getOrThrow()
        val routes = routeResult.routes

    } catch (e: Exception) {
        showMessage(context, "Failed to find route: ${e.message}")
    }

}

Get the first route from the list. Using the route's geometry and a green line symbol, create a Graphic to display the route.

Next, add the route graphic to the graphics overlay. Last, get the list of Route.directionManeuvers, and for each direction maneuver, add the directionText (such as "In 50 ft, turn left on 1st Avenue") to the directionsList.

MainScreen.kt
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suspend fun findRoute(
    context: Context,
    routeStops: MutableList<Stop>,
    graphicsOverlay: GraphicsOverlay,
    directionsList: MutableList<String>
) {

    val routeTask = RouteTask(
        url = "https://route-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/World/Route/NAServer/Route_World"
    )

    // Create a job to find the route.
    try {
        val routeParameters: RouteParameters = routeTask.createDefaultParameters().getOrThrow()
        routeParameters.setStops(routeStops)
        routeParameters.returnDirections = true

        // Solve a route using the route parameters created.
        val routeResult: RouteResult = routeTask.solveRoute(routeParameters).getOrThrow()
        val routes = routeResult.routes

        // If a route is found.
        if (routes.isNotEmpty()) {
            val route = routes[0]
            val routeGraphic = Graphic(
                geometry = route.routeGeometry,
                symbol = SimpleLineSymbol(
                    style = SimpleLineSymbolStyle.Solid,
                    color = Color.green,
                    width = 2f
                )
            )
            // Add the route graphic to the graphics overlay.
            graphicsOverlay.graphics.add(routeGraphic)
            // Get the direction text for each maneuver and display it as a list on the UI.
            directionsList.clear()
            route.directionManeuvers.forEach { directionManeuver: DirectionManeuver ->
                directionsList.add(directionManeuver.directionText)
            }
        }

    } catch (e: Exception) {
        showMessage(context, "Failed to find route: ${e.message}")
    }

}

Create a `clearStops()` function

Create a function to clear the current route.

MainScreen.kt
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fun clearStops(
    routeStops: MutableList<Stop>,
    directionList: MutableList<String>,
    graphicsOverlay: GraphicsOverlay
) {
    graphicsOverlay.graphics.clear()
    routeStops.clear()
    directionList.clear()
    directionList.add("Tap to add two points to the map to find a route between them.")
}

Handle user input

Define a suspend function named onSingleTapConfirmed() that handles the user tapping on the screen to set an origin and tapping again to set a destination point. Declare the parameters shown below.

MainScreen.kt
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fun onSingleTapConfirmed(
    context: Context,
    coroutineScope: CoroutineScope,
    currentJob: MutableState<Job?>,
    event: SingleTapConfirmedEvent,
    routeStops: MutableList<Stop>,
    graphicsOverlay: GraphicsOverlay,
    directionList: MutableList<String>
) {

}
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Cancel any coroutine Job that is currently running.

Then get the tapped Point using the mapPoint property of SingleTapConfirmedEvent, returning an error message if there is no point.

Last, create a Stop using the point.

MainScreen.kt
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fun onSingleTapConfirmed(
    context: Context,
    coroutineScope: CoroutineScope,
    currentJob: MutableState<Job?>,
    event: SingleTapConfirmedEvent,
    routeStops: MutableList<Stop>,
    graphicsOverlay: GraphicsOverlay,
    directionList: MutableList<String>
) {

    currentJob.value?.cancel()
    // Retrieve the tapped map point from the SingleTapConfirmedEvent
    val point: Point = event.mapPoint ?: return showMessage(context, "No map point retrieved from tap.")
    val stop = Stop(point)

}

Call addStop() to add the stop to routeStops and add its graphic to the graphics overlay. Use a when statement to handle whether the routeStops list currently contains zero, one, or two stops.

If zero stops, add the stop and do nothing else.
If one stop, add the stop. Then launch a new coroutine and solve the route by calling findRoute().
If two stops, empty the routeStops list by calling clearStops(). Then add the stop.

Assign coroutineScope.launch to the state value of currentJob.

MainScreen.kt
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fun onSingleTapConfirmed(
    context: Context,
    coroutineScope: CoroutineScope,
    currentJob: MutableState<Job?>,
    event: SingleTapConfirmedEvent,
    routeStops: MutableList<Stop>,
    graphicsOverlay: GraphicsOverlay,
    directionList: MutableList<String>
) {

    currentJob.value?.cancel()
    // Retrieve the tapped map point from the SingleTapConfirmedEvent
    val point: Point = event.mapPoint ?: return showMessage(context, "No map point retrieved from tap.")
    val stop = Stop(point)

    when (routeStops.size) {
        // On first tap, add a stop.
        0 -> {
            addStop(routeStops, stop, graphicsOverlay)
        }
        // On second tap, add a stop and find route between them.
        1 -> {
            addStop(routeStops, stop, graphicsOverlay)
            currentJob.value = coroutineScope.launch {
                findRoute(context, routeStops, graphicsOverlay, directionList)
            }
            showMessage(context, "Calculating route...")
        }
        // On a further tap, clear and add a new first stop.
        else -> {
            clearStops(routeStops, directionList, graphicsOverlay)
            addStop(routeStops, stop, graphicsOverlay)
        }
    }

}

Pass parameters to `MapView` and call `RoutesList`

Inside the Scaffold block, find the MapView from the Display a map tutorial and replace it with a call of the Column composable. A Column allows you to display the map view at the top of screen and the routes list directly below.

MainScreen.kt
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    Scaffold(topBar = { TopAppBar(title = { Text(text = stringResource(id = R.string.app_name)) }) }) {

        Column(
            modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(it)
        ) {

        }

    }
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Inside the Column block, add back the MapView code. Then call RoutesList.

MainScreen.kt
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    Scaffold(topBar = { TopAppBar(title = { Text(text = stringResource(id = R.string.app_name)) }) }) {

        Column(
            modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(it)
        ) {

            MapView(
                modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth().fillMaxHeight(0.7f),
                arcGISMap = map,

            )

            RoutesList(directionList)

        }

    }
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Pass two additional parameters to MapView:

graphicsOverlays
a lambda that calls onSingleTapConfirmed() and passes the parameters shown below.

MainScreen.kt
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    Scaffold(topBar = { TopAppBar(title = { Text(text = stringResource(id = R.string.app_name)) }) }) {

        Column(
            modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(it)
        ) {

            MapView(
                modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth().fillMaxHeight(0.7f),
                arcGISMap = map,

                graphicsOverlays = graphicsOverlays,

                onSingleTapConfirmed = { event ->
                    onSingleTapConfirmed(
                        context, coroutineScope, currentJob, event, routeStops, graphicsOverlay, directionList
                    )
                }

            )

            RoutesList(directionList)

        }

    }
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(Optional) The code in this tutorial calls a function to display messages to the user. One possible implementation of showMessage() is the following.

MainScreen.kt
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fun showMessage(context: Context, message: String) {
    Toast.makeText(context, message, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show()
}

Click Run > Run > app to run the app.

The map should support two taps to create origin and destination points and then use the route service to display the resulting route and turn-by-turn directions.

What's next?

To explore more API features and ArcGIS location services, try the following tutorial: