Idunn vs Overpass API
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted maps & gis options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Idunn | Overpass API |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 0 · At risk | 47 · Fair |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Maps & GIS | Maps & GIS |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 38 | ★ 925 |
| First released | 2018 | 2011 |
| Replaces | Google Places API, Foursquare Places | Google Places API |
What are Idunn and Overpass API?
Idunn
Idunn is an open-source API that aggregates geocoding, place details, and points of interest for map applications. It was built to power the Qwant Maps frontend with self-hostable data services.
- Place detail API
- Points of interest
- Geocoding aggregation
- Powers Qwant Maps
Overpass API
Overpass API is a self-hostable, read-only database and query engine for OpenStreetMap data. It lets users run powerful spatial and attribute queries to extract custom map datasets.
- Powerful OSM query language
- Spatial and tag filtering
- Custom data extraction
- Self-hostable database
Idunn vs Overpass API: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Idunn's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Overpass API is actively maintained. Idunn is written in Python, while Overpass API is built with C++. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Idunn versus AGPL-3.0 for Overpass API. Idunn is the lighter option, starting around 1,024 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Overpass API. Overpass API is the more established project (first released 2011), while Idunn arrived in 2018. Overpass API has the considerably larger community, at 925 GitHub stars versus 38. Idunn lists first-class Docker deployment; Overpass API does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Idunn if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Python
Frequently asked questions
Is Idunn or Overpass API better?
Neither is universally better. Overpass API has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Idunn and Overpass API free and open-source?
Yes. Idunn is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Overpass API under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Idunn and Overpass API with Docker?
Idunn: yes. Overpass API: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Idunn or Overpass API?
Idunn has the smaller minimum footprint at 1,024 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Overpass API. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.