⚡⚡⚡ OSM API v1.0⁴: New data model, validation, OSM Premium and more

Posted by TrickyFoxy on 4/1/2024

At the last meeting, the OSMF board gave the go-ahead to implement a new version of the OSM API. The full transcript can be found on wiki. Summary:

🧐️️️️️️Validation

Edits that break the geometry or topology will be rejected; for non-critical errors the API will return an HTTP status 267 Doubtful But Okay

🛣 New data model

To simplify the data model, it was decided to abandon the Way type. Relations are already used for multipolygons and can store lists of points, which makes Way meaningless.

This approach will also allow us to describe nonlinear geometries, which takes mapping to a whole new level 🚀

📃 New data format

The obsolete XML format will be replaced by human-readable YAML. This allows you to conveniently edit the map in any text editor and study changesets using tools such as git diff. JSON format support will remain.

👮‍♂️Pre-moderation

New users’ edits will be included in the pre-moderation queue. Edits can be approved by any cartographer who has mapped 42 days in the last year. You can avoid the queue by paying for OSMF membership.

💵 Premium Features

In addition to disabling pre-moderation, cartographers who have paid for an OSMF membership will receive priority when accessing DWG and OSMF. The duration of blockages for premium cartographers will be halved.

💎 New cgimap

The current implementation of cgimap, written in C++, does not meet the security requirements, so it will be rewritten in Rust Ruby, which is already used for most of the site.