cablate · cablate · Mar 21, 2026 · Mar 21, 2026 · Mar 21, 2026
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -79,12 +79,12 @@ Special thanks to [@junyinnnn](https://github.com/junyinnnn) for helping add sup
 | `maps_search_along_route` | Search for places along a route between two points — ranked by minimal detour time. |
 | **Composite Tools** | |
 | `maps_explore_area` | Explore what's around a location — searches multiple place types and gets details in one call. |
-| `maps_plan_route` | Plan an optimized multi-stop route — geocodes, finds best order, returns directions. |
+| `maps_plan_route` | Plan an optimized multi-stop route — uses Routes API waypoint optimization (up to 25 stops) for efficient ordering. |
 | `maps_compare_places` | Compare places side-by-side — searches, gets details, and optionally calculates distances. |
 
 All tools are annotated with `readOnlyHint: true` and `destructiveHint: false` — MCP clients can auto-approve these without user confirmation.
 
-> **Prerequisite**: Enable **Places API (New)** in [Google Cloud Console](https://console.cloud.google.com) before using place-related tools.
+> **Prerequisite**: Enable **Places API (New)** and **Routes API** in [Google Cloud Console](https://console.cloud.google.com) before using place-related and routing tools.
 
 ## Installation
 
@@ -247,7 +247,8 @@ src/
 ├── services/
 │   ├── NewPlacesService.ts       # Google Places API (New) client
 │   ├── PlacesSearcher.ts         # Service facade layer
-│   └── toolclass.ts              # Legacy Google Maps API client
+│   ├── RoutesService.ts          # Google Routes API client (directions, distance matrix, waypoint optimization)
+│   └── toolclass.ts              # Google Maps API client (geocoding, timezone, elevation, static map)
 ├── tools/
 │   └── maps/
 │       ├── searchNearby.ts       # maps_search_nearby tool
@@ -293,7 +294,8 @@ skills/
 - **TypeScript** - Type-safe development
 - **Node.js** - Runtime environment
 - **@googlemaps/places** - Google Places API (New) for place search and details
-- **@googlemaps/google-maps-services-js** - Legacy API for geocoding, directions, distance matrix, elevation
+- **Google Routes API** - Directions, distance matrix, and waypoint optimization via REST
+- **@googlemaps/google-maps-services-js** - Geocoding, timezone, elevation
 - **@modelcontextprotocol/sdk** - MCP protocol implementation (v1.27+)
 - **Express.js** - HTTP server framework
 - **Zod** - Schema validation

diff --git a/docs/backlog-and-strategy.md b/docs/backlog-and-strategy.md
@@ -0,0 +1,191 @@
+# mcp-google-map Backlog & Strategy
+
+> Consolidated: 2026-03-20
+> Source: dev-roadmap-spec.md, strategy-todo.md, mcp-google-map-growth-strategy-2026.md (all retired)
+> Current state: v0.0.44, 17 tools, ~192+ GitHub stars
+
+This file contains ONLY items that have NOT been implemented and strategic insights that remain relevant. All completed items have been removed.
+
+---
+
+## Backlog: Features
+
+### MCP Prompt Templates (from dev-roadmap-spec P1)
+
+**Status**: Not started | **Effort**: ~6hr
+
+MCP Prompts 讓 Claude Desktop / Cursor 使用者一鍵進入 geo agent 模式，不需要讀文件。
+
+```typescript
+// 3 prompts to register in BaseMcpServer.ts:
+{
+  name: "travel-planner",
+  description: "Plan a trip with geo tools",
+  arguments: [
+    { name: "destination", required: true },
+    { name: "duration", required: false },
+    { name: "style", required: false }  // budget, luxury, foodie
+  ]
+},
+{
+  name: "neighborhood-scout",
+  description: "Analyze a location for living/working",
+  arguments: [
+    { name: "location", required: true },
+    { name: "priorities", required: false }  // schools, transit, restaurants
+  ]
+},
+{
+  name: "route-optimizer",
+  description: "Optimize a multi-stop route",
+  arguments: [
+    { name: "stops", required: true },
+    { name: "mode", required: false }
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+Implementation: `BaseMcpServer.ts` 加 `prompts` capability，Prompt 內容從 `tools-api.md` Scenario Recipes 提取。
+
+### Geo-Reasoning Benchmark (from dev-roadmap-spec P2)
+
+**Status**: Not started | **Effort**: Phase 1 ~2 weeks
+
+10 scenarios (Easy 2 + Medium 3 + Hard 3 + Expert 2), 5 metrics (Tool Selection Accuracy, Parameter Correctness, Chain Efficiency, Result Quality, Latency).
+
+Key metric — **Composite Tool Efficiency Score (CES)**:
+```
+CES = min_required_calls / actual_calls_made
+```
+
+Marketing angle: "Without geo tools: 4% success (MIT TravelPlanner). With mcp-google-map: 87%+"
+
+Phase 1: 5 YAML scenarios + automated evaluator + README results table
+Phase 2: 全 10 scenarios + LLM-as-Judge + multi-LLM comparison
+
+### Geo Agent Scaffold (from strategy-todo Backlog)
+
+**Status**: Not started | **Effort**: TBD
+
+Pre-built agent prompt template — 「你是一個旅遊規劃專家，你有以下地理工具...」。讓人可以一行指令啟動 geo-aware AI agent。
+
+### maps_isochrone (from dev-roadmap-spec P3)
+
+**Status**: Deprioritized | **Effort**: ~8hr
+
+Google 沒有 isochrone API。最佳路徑：Distance Matrix 8 方向探測 + static map 畫 approximated polygon。ROI 目前不夠，待有明確需求再做。
+
+---
+
+## Backlog: Growth & Marketing
+
+### Pending Submissions (manual)
+
+| Platform | Type | Status |
+|---|---|---|
+| pulsemcp.com | Web form | Not submitted |
+| mcpservers.org | Web form | Not submitted |
+| mcp.so | Web form | Not submitted |
+| mcpmarket.com | Web form | Not submitted |
+| mcpserverfinder.com | Web form | Not submitted |
+| Cline Marketplace | PR to `cline/mcp-marketplace` | Not submitted |
+
+### Content Marketing (not started)
+
+| Item | Effort | Notes |
+|---|---|---|
+| Blog post / Dev.to article | Medium | "Why your AI agent needs geospatial capabilities" |
+| Demo video (30-60 sec) | Medium | Screen recording of Claude Code + mcp-google-map trip planning |
+| Twitter/X launch campaign | Low | Needs demo video first |
+| HN "Show HN" post | Low | README ready, can execute anytime |
+
+---
+
+## Strategic Insights (still relevant)
+
+### Competitive Positioning
+
+**vs Google Grounding Lite (official MCP)**:
+- Grounding Lite: 3 tools, managed hosting, no API key needed, experimental
+- Us: 17 tools, self-hosted, full control, Agent Skill, exec CLI
+- Key gaps they have that we don't: none anymore (we added weather, timezone, air quality)
+- Key things we have that they don't: geocoding, directions, elevation, distance matrix, place details, batch geocode, composite tools, Agent Skill
+
+**vs Mapbox MCP (315 stars)**:
+- Mapbox: 20+ tools, offline Turf.js, TSP, Isochrone, separate Agent Skills repo
+- Us: Google Maps API (larger user base), Skills embedded in npm package, exec CLI, MIT
+
+**vs baidu-maps/mcp (411 stars)**:
+- China market only, not direct competition internationally
+
+### MCP + Agent Skills Ecosystem
+
+- Agent Skills 已是跨平台標準（Claude Code, VS Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI）
+- AAIF (Linux Foundation): Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI 共同治理
+- Anthropic 的 anthropics/skills (92.9k stars) 目前沒有任何 geo/maps skill — 空白機會
+- 我們的 `skills/google-maps/` 已 90% 符合 skillpm 格式
+- PR #644 已提交到 anthropics/skills
+
+### Geo-AI Market Signals
+
+- Google "Ask Maps" (2026-03-12): Gemini 驅動的對話式地圖搜尋，驗證賽道
+- MIT 研究：LLM 無 tool 輔助時旅行規劃成功率只有 ~4%
+- 62% 年輕旅客已用 AI 工具做旅行規劃
+- ChatGPT 沒有原生 Maps 整合 — MCP 填補空白
+- UPS 每減少一英里/司機/天 = $50M/年 savings
+
+### Our Moat (validated)
+
+| Type | Advantage |
+|---|---|
+| Technical | StreamableHTTP multi-tenant, per-session API key, Tool Annotations |
+| Design | Agent Skill (教 AI 怎麼思考地理問題), exec CLI, chaining patterns |
+| Market | Google Maps category leader (192 vs #2 at 14), npm user base |
+
+### High-Value Use Case Tiers (for marketing/positioning)
+
+**Tier 1 (huge market + perfect tool coverage)**:
+- Real estate analysis ($47T market)
+- Logistics multi-stop optimization ($200B+)
+- B2B field sales optimization
+- E-commerce delivery estimation ($6.3T)
+
+**Tier 2 (large market + good coverage)**:
+- Data enrichment (CSV batch geocoding, $15B+)
+- Disaster response ($30B+)
+- Content creation (travel/city guides, $600B+)
+- Accessible route planning (61M disabled users)
+
+### README / Marketing Playbook
+
+Key elements proven to work (from Figma 13.7k, Playwright 28.8k, Serena 21.5k analysis):
+1. One-click install badges (Playwright) — already partially done
+2. GitHub-native video demo (Serena) — NOT DONE
+3. 3-bullet value proposition (Serena) — done in current README
+4. Star History chart — done
+5. vs comparison table (Playwright) — done (vs Grounding Lite)
+6. GitHub alert boxes `[!TIP]` (Serena) — done
+
+Still missing:
+- Demo video (highest ROI remaining item)
+- User testimonials / community feedback section
+
+### Growth Projections (research-backed)
+
+| Milestone | Timeline | Driver |
+|---|---|---|
+| 300+ stars | 2-4 weeks | Registry submissions + content |
+| 500+ stars | 1-2 months | HN/Reddit + blog post |
+| 1,000+ stars | 3-4 months | Sustained content + community |
+
+Reference: HN front page averages +121 stars/24hr (median much lower). First 1000 is hardest, then organic discovery accelerates.
+
+---
+
+## Decided Not To Build
+
+| Item | Reason | Source |
+|---|---|---|
+| maps_validate_address | $17/1000 too expensive, backend-only use case, geocode covers 60% | dev-roadmap-spec |
+| Spatial Context / Memory | Claude conversation history already solves this, composite tools reduce chaining | dev-roadmap-spec |
+| Language parameter for all tools | Existing behavior sufficient, deprioritized | strategy-todo |