kmlb 0.1.0

A straightforward Google Earth KML builder

KMLB

Plain Python KML Builder.

KMLB is a dependency-free Python library for writing Google Earth KML files. Easily create points, lines, polygons, styles, and folders.

Full documentation at kmlb.dev.

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Installation

pip install kmlb

Requires Python 3.9+. No third-party dependencies.

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Quick example

import kmlb

# Define a reusable style and a styled point
style = kmlb.point_style("city", color=("#ff8800", 100), scale=1.4)
boston = kmlb.point([-71.0589, 42.3601], "Boston", style_to_use="city")

# Assemble a document and write it to disk
kmlb.kml("My Places", [boston], styles=[style], path="my_places.kml")

Open my_places.kml in Google Earth to view it.

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_{Building footprints extruded into 3D and viewed in Google Earth, built with kmlb polygons.}

Modules

Module	Description
kmlb	Build points, POI/address searches, lines, polygons (with holes), point/line/polygon styles, folders, camera angles, and KML documents; geodesic distance, bearing, and destination
kmlb.shapes	Composite geometry: wedge (a pie-wedge polygon)
kmlb.colors / kmlb.icons	Named color presets and built-in marker shorthands for styling, so color="red" and icon="triangle" instead of hex tuples and full icon URLs

The core builders are re-exported at the top level, so kmlb.point(...), kmlb.kml(...), and friends work directly. See the reference for every function.

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Example use

Writing a basic KML file

import kmlb

# CREATE A POINT
fountain = kmlb.point([-71.051904, 42.358988, 0], "Rings Fountain")

# WRITE KML FILE
kmlb.kml(
    "Boston Fountain",          # KML name
    [fountain],                 # Features
    path="folder/boston_fountain.kml"  # Export path
)

Mapping a POI or an address

import kmlb

# CREATE A POINT FROM A POI
bos_common = kmlb.search_poi("Boston Common, Boston, MA")

# CREATE A POINT FROM AN ADDRESS
ss = kmlb.search_poi("700 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA", name="South Station")

# WRITE KML FILE
kmlb.kml(
    "Boston Landmarks",          # KML name
    [bos_common, ss],            # Features
    path="folder/boston_landmarks.kml"  # Export path
)

Creating a customized KML file

import kmlb

# DEFINE A STYLE
pt_style = kmlb.point_style(
    "Red Triangle",                # Point style name
    icon="triangle",               # Icon (built-in shorthand)
    color=("#ff0000", 100),        # Icon color (hex, opacity)
    scale=1.0,                     # Icon scale
    label_color=("#ffffff", 100),  # Label color (hex, opacity)
    label_size=1.0,                # Label size
)

# CREATE A POINT
clock_tower = kmlb.point(
    [-71.053568, 42.359053, 151],                   # Coordinates
    "Custom House Tower",                           # Name
    headers=["City", "Building", "Height (M)"],     # Attribute titles
    attrs=["Boston", "Custom House Tower", "151"],  # Attributes
    z_mode="RTG",                                   # Relative To Ground
    style_to_use="Red Triangle",                    # Name of point style defined earlier
)

# WRITE KML FILE
kmlb.kml(
    "Boston Clock Tower",                     # KML name
    [clock_tower],                            # Features to include
    path="folder/boston_clock_tower.kml",     # Export path
    desc="Created with KMLB Python Package",  # KML description
    styles=[pt_style],                        # Styles to include
)

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Functions

Function	What it does
Features
point	Point placemark from a [lon, lat] (or [lon, lat, elev]) coordinate.
search_poi	Placemark located by an address or search string, geocoded by Google Earth.
line	Line or polyline from an ordered list of coordinates.
polygon	Polygon from one or more rings (first ring outer, the rest holes).
Styles
point_style	Reusable point style: icon, color, scale, and label.
line_style	Reusable line style: color and width.
polygon_style	Reusable polygon style: fill and outline.
Geodesy (WGS-84)
distance	Distance in meters between two coordinates.
bearing	Initial bearing in degrees between two coordinates.
destination	Coordinate reached from an origin along a bearing and distance.
Shapes
shapes.wedge	Pie-wedge (circular sector) polygon, useful for cellular coverage sectors.
Views, documents, and links
look_at	Camera angle and view for a feature or document.
folder	Group features and other folders together.
kml	Assemble features and styles into a KML document and write it to disk.
networklink_kml	Network-link KML that refreshes from a hosted URL.
Color and icon helpers
colors	Named color palette (colors.RED, or color="red").
icons	Built-in marker shorthands (icon="triangle", "red-paddle").

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Citing KMLB

Using KMLB in research or published work? A citation is appreciated (it is not required under the MIT license, but documented use builds trust in the tool). APA, Chicago, and BibTeX formats, kept current with each release, are at kmlb.dev/docs/cite.

@software{KMLB,
  author  = {Mros, III, Henry F.},
  title   = {KMLB: KML Builder},
  year    = {2026},
  version = {0.1.0},
  url     = {https://pypi.org/project/kmlb/}
}

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License

MIT. Free to use, modify, and redistribute, including in commercial or proprietary tools, as long as the copyright notice and license text are retained.