Mapnik vs Tangram
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted maps & gis options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Mapnik | Tangram |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 50 · Fair |
| Category | Maps & GIS | Maps & GIS |
| License | LGPL-2.1 | MIT |
| Language | C++ | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,961 | ★ 2,334 |
| First released | 2006 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Google Maps, Mapbox | Mapbox GL JS, Google Maps |
What are Mapnik and Tangram?
Mapnik
Mapnik is an open-source toolkit for rendering raster map tiles from OpenStreetMap and other geospatial data using a flexible styling engine. It powers custom slippy maps without relying on commercial tile providers.
- Raster tile rendering
- Flexible styling
- OpenStreetMap data support
- No vendor lock-in
Tangram
Tangram is an open-source map rendering engine that draws 2D and 3D maps using WebGL with fully customizable styling. It works with vector tiles and is designed for creative cartographic experiments.
- WebGL rendering
- 2D and 3D maps
- Custom styling
- Vector tile support
Mapnik vs Tangram: key differences
Mapnik is written in C++, while Tangram is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — LGPL-2.1 for Mapnik versus MIT for Tangram. Tangram is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Mapnik. Mapnik is the more established project (first released 2006), while Tangram arrived in 2013. Mapnik lists first-class Docker deployment; Tangram does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Mapnik if…
- Released under the LGPL-2.1 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
Choose Tangram if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Active community (2.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Mapnik or Tangram better?
Neither is universally better. Mapnik has the larger community, while Tangram is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Mapnik and Tangram free and open-source?
Yes. Mapnik is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and Tangram under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mapnik and Tangram with Docker?
Mapnik: yes. Tangram: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Mapnik or Tangram?
Tangram has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Mapnik. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.