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# MapKit annotations

Create annotations to add indicators and additional details for specific locations on a map.

## Topics

### Location annotations

[Annotating a Map with Custom Data](/documentation/MapKit/annotating-a-map-with-custom-data)

Annotate a map with location-specific data using default and customized annotation views and callouts.

[`MKPointAnnotation`](/documentation/MapKit/MKPointAnnotation)

A string-based piece of location-specific data that you apply to a specific point on a map.

[`MKMapItemAnnotation`](/documentation/MapKit/MKMapItemAnnotation)

An annotation that represents a map item

[`MKMarkerAnnotationView`](/documentation/MapKit/MKMarkerAnnotationView)

An annotation view that displays a balloon-shaped marker at the designated location.

[`MKPinAnnotationView`](/documentation/MapKit/MKPinAnnotationView)

An annotation view that displays a pin image on the map.

### Grouped annotations

[Decluttering a Map with MapKit Annotation Clustering](/documentation/MapKit/decluttering-a-map-with-mapkit-annotation-clustering)

Enhance the readability of a map by replacing overlapping annotations with a clustering annotation view.

[`MKClusterAnnotation`](/documentation/MapKit/MKClusterAnnotation)

An annotation that groups two or more distinct annotations into a single entity.

### User location

[Converting a user’s location to a descriptive placemark](/documentation/MapKit/converting-a-user-s-location-to-a-descriptive-placemark)

Transform the user’s location that displays on a map into an informative textual description by reverse geocoding.

[`MKUserLocation`](/documentation/MapKit/MKUserLocation)

An annotation that reflects the user’s location on the map.

[`MKUserLocationView`](/documentation/MapKit/MKUserLocationView)

A configurable annotation that shows the user’s location using the default MapKit style.

### Annotations in SwiftUI

[`MapMarker`](/documentation/MapKit/MapMarker)

A balloon-shaped annotation used to indicate the location on a map.

[`MapPin`](/documentation/MapKit/MapPin)

A pin-shaped annotation used to indicate a location on a map.

[`MapAnnotation`](/documentation/MapKit/MapAnnotation)

A customizable annotation that marks a map location.

[`MapAnnotationProtocol`](/documentation/MapKit/MapAnnotationProtocol)

A protocol that represents the possible return types of annotations.

### Shared behavior

[`MKPlacemark`](/documentation/MapKit/MKPlacemark)

A user-friendly description of a location on the map.

[`MKAnnotation`](/documentation/MapKit/MKAnnotation)

An interface for associating your content with a specific map location.

[`MKAnnotationView`](/documentation/MapKit/MKAnnotationView)

The visual representation of one of your annotation objects.


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