0000FF berries
- Mapper since:
- April 19, 2014
- Last map edit:
- February 10, 2025
What is OpenStreetMap?
- OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a world-wide collaborative project aiming at providing free map data, under an open license, to anyone who wants it. Volunteers all over the planet, like you, contribute their local knowledge and their time to build the best map ever. The data in OpenStreetMap is as diverse as its contributors; it serves motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, seafarers and canoeists alike.
- You can map much more than just streets. Building outlines, landcover, waterways, railways and civilisation amenities have their place in the database, down to individual trees, opening times of shops, or even indoor building layouts. Wheelmap helps people with disabilities, Niantic uses OSM data for Pokemon Go, and Kurviger can show routes for motorcyclists that are more curvy and outside of residential areas. There are many more examples how the data you contribute is used.
Isn’t mapping complicated?
No. The world of OpenStreetMap consists of three basic elements. Points (nodes), lines (ways) and areas. They get their values through so called tags (like name=Στέκι Μεταναστών). For example,
- name=Στέκι Μεταναστών
- amenity=community_centre
- community_centre:for=migrant
- opening_hours=20:00-24:00
- We use nodes for shops, small features like fountains or bicycle repair stations.
- Ways for roads, paths, small waterways.
- Areas for forests, buildings and ponds.
How can I edit?
- We have two main editors for mapping with a PC. iD and JOSM. JOSM is an advanced standalone editor but it might be better to have some experience before you begin mapping with it.
- To map with your (Android) mobile phone you can use
** EveryDoor
** StreetComplete You answer questions and edit things that are already mapped.
** OsmAnd - you have to enable the OSM editing plugin
** Organic Maps
** Cityzenapp
** Vespucci
There are also OSM editors for Apple phones. Please note that all the apps above are created and maintained by community members or companies.
What are some “unwritten” rules?
- Don’t copy from other maps.
- Map what’s on the ground.
- Have a look in the Wiki, many tags are described there.
-
Copy from other parts of the world, where something is already mapped. Germany is mapped in great detail.
- Ask! Other mappers will help you, ask on help and support or on country-specific OSM mailing lists and IRC channels
- Don’t use the name tag to describe the object. For example, name=bench, instead use amenity=bench. Use tags to classify objects instead of name. Name should only be used for features with actual names, like buildings or restaurants.
What is considered good mapping?
- Good Practice tips
- Good Changeset comments
- Check if the satellite layer is misaligned. Compare the satellite layer with existing streets and gps traces.
- Don’t delete stuff, without first asking the mapper why they mapped something in a particular way. Maybe you just have old satellite data.
What else?
- Most common mapping mistakes
- This website shows you other mappers near you, if you want to connect.
- List of useful OSM-based websites, where your changes appear
- Upcoming OSM Events - Maybe there’s a social meet up near you. It’s always good to talk to people face to face. Sometimes they can help you.
How can I help besides mapping?
- Become a member of the OSM Foundation, even for free, if you are an active OSM contributor.
** Normal members provide their full residential address and can vote on all issues. They can also be candidates in the election to Board.
** Associate members provide just their country of residence and can vote - but not on all issues. More information here. - Donate
- Join the volunteers of one of the OSM Foundation’s Working Groups
- Upload GPS traces
- Spread the word about OpenStreetMap!
News
Reminder to myself to check:
- Quality
- Good Practice
- Good Changeset comments
- Tagging in support of women and girls
- Permanent ID
- OpenStreetMap POI finder
- Armchair mapping
Greek-related bookmarks
Monitoring Greece:
- Greek subforum
- Notes mostly in Crete (RSS) * Attica * Greece - opened only
- Changesets to check - (RSS)
- OSMCHA 1 - 2 - 3 (Some detected changesets span large areas of the globe)
- New users - (RSS) * Users active each month - select Greece
- Changeset discussions - (RSS)
- Recent edits 7 days * 7 days Attica
Improving Greece:
- Notes in Greece
- Oldest notes in Greece
- Some unmapped places
- Streets with no names -poole.ch * Mapbox
- Quality assurance for motorways (CheckAutopista2)
- Photos by Mapillary (now also available when you edit with iD)
Reference:
- MapComplete: https://mapcomplete.osm.be/
- Landuse
- OpenPOImap
- Geopedia
- Attica transport map: https://www.öpnvkarte.de/#23.75;37.9734;12
- WikiProject Greece: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/WikiProject_Greece
- Map Features in Greek: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/El:Map_Features
- Taglist: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/WikiProject_Greece/Taglist
- Multilingual names: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Multilingual_names#Greece
- Fire hydrants: www.osmhydrant.org and mapcomplete.osm.be/hailhydrant
- Heatmap of annual tileset editing: https://mapbox.github.io/osm-analysis-collab/editor-recency?yearIdx=11&layer=0&minUsers=1&minObjects=1.12/39.072/23.234
- Heatmap hexagons of mapping activity and mappers per area: https://disaster.ninja/live/#overlays=alert-shape,bivariate-custom_kontur_openstreetmap_quantity,osm-users,bivariate_kontur_openstreetmap_mapping_activity;id=GDACS_TC_1000654_6;position=25.11829594006076,38.25670578771846;zoom=6.116682850928715
- Good changeset comments: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/El:Good_changeset_comments
- Stats for Greece: active members, nodes’ stats, roads
Assess what might be potential errors
- Keep Right: http://keepright.ipax.at/report_map.php?lat=37.95643&lon=23.72039&zoom=12&layers=B0T
- Osmose: http://osmose.openstreetmap.fr/
- To fix: http://osmlab.github.io/to-fix
- OSM inspector: http://tools.geofabrik.de/osmi/
Help new mappers
Fixme
- (for nodes+ways) https://product.itoworld.com/map/12?lon=23.84930&lat=37.94901&zoom=10&open_sidebar=clickthrough_wrapper
- (for nodes) http://overpass-turbo.eu/s/koS
- (from Keepright) http://keepright.ipax.at/report_map.php?zoom=14&lat=56.06445&lon=-3.21931
Usage checks
- Overpass: https://overpass-turbo.eu/
- Tag info: https://taginfo.openstreetmap.org/tags/?key=leisure&value=playground
Easy custom maps with OSM background
- http://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/
- Draw on maps https://gribrouillon.fr
Find mappers near you
Map comparisons
- Before/after: https://tzovar.as/map-comparisons/
Other tools
- Who Did It: http://zverik.osm.rambler.ru/whodidit/ & http://simon04.dev.openstreetmap.org/whodidit/
- Deep History of Nodes, Ways, Relations: http://osmlab.github.io/osm-deep-history/#/way/10973689
- Plot of tag usage over time: http://taghistory.raifer.tech/
- Tag history https://osm-vis.geog.uni-heidelberg.de/osm-tags-history-wiki/
- ITO tools (Visualisation): http://product.itoworld.com/map/
- RSS history filter (drop changesets covering wide areas of earth): http://positron96.appspot.com/osmfilter.html
- See new keys: http://osm.mueschelsoft.de/taginfo/newkeys.htm
- Eraser Map: https://mapzen.com/blog/erasermap-beta/
- Note location: https://api.openstreetmap.org/api/0.6/notes/
- Notes Review (search/filter notes based on keywords): https://ent8r.github.io/NotesReview/
- Map-Edit: http://umgebungsplaene.osm-baustelle.de
- Pic4carto (Photomapping): https://projets.pavie.info/pic4carto/
- Find unmapped paths - Strava’s version of ID:http://strava.github.io/iD/#background=Bing&map=2.00/0.0/0.0
- Mapcraft (collaborative mapping): http://mapcraft.nanodesu.ru/list
- Opening hours - create syntax: http://projets.pavie.info/yohours/
- Opening hours - visualisation on map: http://openingh.openstreetmap.de/
- Opening hours - evaluation tool: https://openingh.openstreetmap.de/evaluation_tool/
- Opening hours - paste free text & get OSM tags: https://osm-de.github.io/WebToOSMOH/
- Changeset viewer: https://overpass-api.de/achavi/?changeset=
- Relation analyser: http://ra.osmsurround.org
- Flyovercountry app http://fc.umn.edu/
- Create a note for your bussiness - osmybiz.osm.ch http://osmybiz.osm.ch/
- Node density: https://tyrasd.github.io/osm-node-density/#5/44.637/19.578/latest,places
- Measuring distance: https://map.meurisse.org/
- Surveillance under surveillance: https://sunders.uber.space/
- Streets in a circle (figuregrounder): https://hanshack.com/figuregrounder/
- http://osm.eoapps.eu/application/
- New keys https://osm.mueschelsoft.de/taginfo/newkeys.htm
- Generate SVG maps https://mapsaregreat.com/osm_to_svg_in_browser/ by Mateusz Konieczny (Github https://github.com/matkoniecz/lunar_assembler/issues)
- Copy the coordinates of multiple selected points https://nuuuwan.github.io/map_draw/
- OSM Software watchlist https://wambachers-osm.website/SoftwareWatchlist.html
- 2012.osmz.ru look at how a particular map region looked at 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2022
- PTSA - Public Transport Stop Analysis for OSM Analyse bus stops
OSM wiki
Maps-Maps-Maps!
Switch to OSM
3D
- http://streets.gl/
- http://osmbuildings.org
- https://demo.f4map.com (example 1: life-size Gundam robot model in Odaiba, Tokyo:, example 2, but F4 building, not OSM one)
- https://github.com/Beakerboy/OSMBuilding
- Creation: check Kendzi3D on JOSM
Cycling, Hiking, MTB, inline skating, horse riding
- Cygnal: https://cygnal.eu/ (app)
- CycleMap: https://web.cyclemapapp.com/
- BBBike (cycle route planner): https://www.bbbike.org/ (specific cities) *Brouter
- Waymarked trails: cycling, hiking, MTB, inline skating, horse riding
- https://hiking.waymarkedtrails.org/
- walks.io
- Hikar - Augmented Reality app for walkers and hikers
- https://opencampingmap.org/
Vegetarian/vegan/plants
- veggiekarte.de https://www.veggiekarte.de/#7/38.311/25.351
- on umap https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/osm-vegan_297003#12/38.0074/23.8408
- local markets in Germany https://wo-ist-markt.de/info.html
- tree species map for Germany https://mymapnik.rudzick.it/#map=18.783899197459377/1484485.96/6887926.62/0
OSM Contributors’ analysis tools
Communicate
- Contact channels: * Community forum * Help * Mailing Lists * IRC * Reddit
Watch edits as they happen
Fun
- Map trolling :) https://twitter.com/Anonymaps
- Fight http://osmfight.neis-one.org/
- OSM related quiz http://geoawesomeness.com/geoawesomequiz-the-openstreetmap-quiz/
- telnet mapscii.me
- https://twitter.com/brunosan/status/861424674755854336
- ‘cause I’ll go to the State of the Map
- http://osmgo.org
- https://www.reddit.com/r/openstreetmap/comments/7nx6fb/its_the_small_things_that_make_you_happy/
Visualisation
- https://openwhatevermap.xyz/#7/38.462/25.785
- https://leaflet-extras.github.io/leaflet-providers/preview/
- http://osmstreetlight.bplaced.net - streetlights
Games
Art (non-tangible)
- Draw all roads https://anvaka.github.io/city-roads/?q=athens
Tangible
- MapOSMatic: https://print.get-map.org/new/ print a map
- OSM cookie cutter: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2760677
- Wooden maps: https://papurino.com/
- Laser cuts with lights: https://www.yankodesign.com/2019/08/15/these-luminous-maps-show-what-your-favorite-city-looks-like-at-night/
- Print: https://print.get-map.org/
- Jewellery Taliasari.com - create your map
- Jewellery Meshu: http://meshu.io/ [not accessible - 2021]
For travellers
OSM and haikus
https://satellitestud.io/osm-haiku/app/
Translating OpenStreetMap
JOSM related
- https://github.com/simonpoole/beautified-JOSM-preset
- https://josm.openstreetmap.de/wiki/Styles/Coloured_Streets also see this diary entry
ID related
- “Templates” https://github.com/osmlab/name-suggestion-index
Attribution related
- https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Lacking_proper_attribution
- https://github.com/matkoniecz/illegal-use-of-OpenStreetMap/
Not properly categorised POIs
- https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4727603894 (selling/creating invitations etc for baptisms, weddings, birthdays) - Currently tagged as shop=yes
Personal POIs added by mistake?
Articles
How-to
Personal
~2016 OSM snapshot
https://ec.europa.eu/transport/infrastructure/tentec/tentec-portal/map/maps.html