Getting started: OVERVIEW

Slippy maps on the web have two parts:

• One or more collections of image tiles that form the map. The bulk of this wiki is devoted to making your own tiles.
• An API framework that stitches tiles together and handles interactive panning and zooming.

You can mix and match sources of image tiles and API frameworks.

Here are some good JavaScript API libraries for developing interactive web maps:

• Modest Maps is a no-frills mapping and interaction library built and maintained by Michal Migurski, Tom Carden, Tom MacWright, and Shawn Allen.
  • HTMAPL magically transforms HTML into interactive maps with jQuery and Modest Maps.
• Polymaps is an SVG-powered library by Mike Bostock and Stamen with lots of tricks up its sleeves.
• Leaflet does most of what OpenLayers does, but with a drastically simpler API.
• Wax provides a suite of useful tools for working with Modest Maps, Google Maps, OpenLayers, Leaflet, and Polymaps.

And some more random links which need to be organized:

• UTFGrid is a technique designed and implemented by Development Seed that provides map interactivity with low-bandwidth text files.
• Building a Map Microsite - Tutorial from Development Seed.