OpenLayers 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.
Not the right match-up?
OpenLayers
High-performance library for all kinds of web maps
VS
Overpass API
Read-only query API for OpenStreetMap data
| Feature | OpenLayers | Overpass API |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Maps & GIS | Maps & GIS |
| License | BSD-2-Clause | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | source, bare-metal | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 12,532 | ★ 911 |
| First released | 2006 | 2011 |
| Replaces | Google Maps JavaScript API | Google Places API |
Why pick each one
Choose OpenLayers if…
- Released under the BSD-2-Clause license
- Mature project with 12.5k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenLayers or Overpass API better?
OpenLayers is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Overpass API if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are OpenLayers and Overpass API free and open-source?
Yes. OpenLayers is licensed under BSD-2-Clause and Overpass API under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenLayers and Overpass API with Docker?
OpenLayers: check the project docs for container support. Overpass API: check the project docs for container support.