based on a tutorial by Chris Henrick (@clhenrick)

Assumptions!

I'm going to assume you know a bit about maps

But not necessarily the complicated parts

data + tiles + server + API

Data + location + geometry = geospatial data

Points

Lines

Polygons

But with a backend (data)

and front end (visual) in one.

Why CartoDB?

It takes care of all the nitty gritty server side stuff for you.

Lets you easily overlay spatial data onto a map.

Allows for the rapid prototyping of cartographic visualizations.

Makes it easy to publish and share your maps!

Allows for analysis with geospatial data.

And you don't have to install anything (!!!)

Disclaimer: there are other options too...

Leaflet, MapBox, TileMill, D3JS, etc...

But CartoDB packages some of these together for you

CartoDB's database: PostGIS

CartoDB's styling language: CartoCSS

CartoDB's map renderer: Mapnik

CartoDB's map viewing API: uses Leaflet

But you don't really need to know all that...

Let's stop looking at slides, and start making a map!