OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap is a collaborative, community-driven mapping platform that provides free, openly licensed geographic data to anyone around the world. Unlike commercial map services, OpenStreetMap is built entirely by volunteers who collect, edit, and verify map information using local knowledge, GPS devices, aerial imagery, and other free sources. The platform offers a wide range of functions for both casual users and advanced developers. At its core, OpenStreetMap operates as a wiki-style database where contributors can add, modify, or delete geographic features such as roads, buildings, parks, rivers, points of interest, and administrative boundaries. Users can trace satellite imagery or upload GPS tracks to create accurate, up-to-date maps of areas that are often underrepresented by commercial providers—including remote villages, informal settlements, hiking trails, and disaster-affected regions. The editing interface supports both a simple web-based editor (iD) for beginners and a powerful desktop editor (JOSM) for experienced mappers, enabling fine-grained control over geometry and metadata tags. The platform’s primary output is a global, freely downloadable dataset in formats such as XML, PBF, and Shapefile. This data can be used for routing, navigation, geocoding, spatial analysis, and visualisation. Many third-party applications and services rely on OpenStreetMap tiles and APIs for rendering maps in websites, mobile apps, and embedded devices. For instance, developers can use the Overpass API to query specific features (e.g., all cafés within 500 metres of a location) or the Nominatim API to convert addresses into coordinates and vice versa. OpenStreetMap also provides a tile server that renders map images at various zoom levels, with multiple style options includ