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2x lazymac
2x lazymac

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IP Geolocation API: From Zero to Production in 5 Minutes

#javascript #webdev #tutorial #api

IP geolocation is one of the most-requested features in web apps. Here's how to add it to your project in 5 minutes using an API — no database to maintain, no MaxMind subscription.

What You Get from an IP 

{
  "ip": "203.0.113.42",
  "country": "KR",
  "country_name": "South Korea",
  "city": "Seoul",
  "region": "Seoul",
  "lat": 37.5665,
  "lon": 126.9780,
  "timezone": "Asia/Seoul",
  "isp": "Korea Telecom",
  "is_vpn": false,
  "is_datacenter": false
}
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Basic Usage 

// Get the visitor's location
async function getVisitorLocation(ip) {
  const resp = await fetch(`https://api.lazy-mac.com/ip-geo/lookup?ip=${ip}`);
  return resp.json();
}

// In an Express.js route
app.get('/content', async (req, res) => {
  const ip = req.headers['x-forwarded-for'] || req.socket.remoteAddress;
  const location = await getVisitorLocation(ip);

  // Serve localized content
  const content = getLocalizedContent(location.country);
  res.json({ content, location: location.city });
});
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Real Use Cases

1. Currency localization

const { country } = await getVisitorLocation(userIp);
const currency = COUNTRY_CURRENCY_MAP[country] || 'USD';
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2. GDPR/PIPA compliance

const { country } = await getVisitorLocation(userIp);
if (['KR', 'GB', 'DE', 'FR'].includes(country)) {
  showConsentBanner();
}
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3. Content restrictions

const RESTRICTED_COUNTRIES = ['CN', 'IR', 'KP'];
if (RESTRICTED_COUNTRIES.includes(location.country)) {
  return res.status(451).json({ error: 'Service not available in your region' });
}
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4. Fraud detection

if (location.is_vpn || location.is_datacenter) {
  flagForReview(transaction);
}
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Cloudflare Workers Bonus

If you're on Cloudflare Workers, you get geolocation for free without any API call:

const country = request.cf?.country;
const city = request.cf?.city;
const timezone = request.cf?.timezone;
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For non-Cloudflare backends: IP Geo API | Full store

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