Mobile map development relies on powerful SDKs such as Google Maps, Mapbox, HERE, ArcGIS, and MapLibre. Each of these SDKs provides unique strengths, architectural philosophies, and cloud integrations.

However, differences in API design, camera systems, rendering models, and platform implementations make cross-SDK knowledge transfer difficult. Developers often need to rethink concepts when switching providers or supporting multiple SDKs.

This talk introduces MapConductor, an open-source interoperability layer that provides a unified declarative API across multiple mobile map SDKs.

Rather than replacing existing SDKs, MapConductor is designed to work alongside them — preserving their strengths while providing a shared conceptual model for markers, overlays, camera control, and geospatial operations.

Inspired by Kubernetes’ orchestration model, MapConductor aims to enable flexibility and knowledge portability across map SDK ecosystems.

We will present architectural design decisions, technical challenges, performance considerations, and lessons learned from building a cross-SDK abstraction in real-world mobile applications.