Last week we launched Macrocosm, a NodeJS version of the OpenStreetMap API. This is the first part of an open toolkit we are developing to make it easier to set up your own version of OpenStreetMap.

Governments and NGOs manage massive amounts of spatial data. They want to make this data open, but have good reasons why they can’t simply publish to OSM. At the same time, they want to benefit from the excellent OSM software for collaborative editing, for looking for data errors and inconsistencies, bulk data upload, and for publishing it in usable and open formats.

Macrocosm is part of an ecosystem of tools that make it easier to host an maintain a walled garden OSM. It is built using newer technologies that are lighter, easier to maintain, and which more easily integrate with modern web apps.

The current version is not a full port of the OSM API, but contains the main features of the editing API. We will roll out more of Macrocosm over the next few months. In the meantime we invite you to check out the repo and give it a spin.