SHSelfHostIndex

OpenStreetMap Website vs Tangram

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?
OP OpenStreetMap Website The Rails application powering openstreetmap.org VS TA Tangram Flexible WebGL map rendering engine
FeatureOpenStreetMap WebsiteTangram
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupRead-the-docs project
Health score84 · Excellent51 · Fair
CategoryMaps & GISMaps & GIS
LicenseGPL-2.0MIT
LanguageRubyJavaScript
Setup difficultyHardMedium
Min. RAM4,096 MB128 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metalsource
GitHub stars★ 2,831★ 2,334
First released20062013
ReplacesGoogle MapsMapbox GL JS, Google Maps

What are OpenStreetMap Website and Tangram?

OpenStreetMap Website

The OpenStreetMap website is the open-source Rails application that runs openstreetmap.org. It provides the map browsing interface, data editing tools, and user accounts for the collaborative world map.

  • Collaborative map editing
  • User accounts and diaries
  • Map data API
  • Open map data

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

OpenStreetMap Website vs Tangram: key differences

OpenStreetMap Website is written in Ruby, while Tangram is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for OpenStreetMap Website versus MIT for Tangram. Tangram is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for OpenStreetMap Website. OpenStreetMap Website is the more established project (first released 2006), while Tangram arrived in 2013. OpenStreetMap Website lists first-class Docker deployment; Tangram does not.

Why pick each one

Choose OpenStreetMap Website if…

  • Released under the GPL-2.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Active community (2.8k GitHub stars)
  • Written in Ruby
OpenStreetMap Website details

Choose Tangram if…

  • Released under the MIT license
  • Active community (2.3k GitHub stars)
  • Written in JavaScript
  • Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Tangram details

Frequently asked questions

Is OpenStreetMap Website or Tangram better?

Neither is universally better. OpenStreetMap Website 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 OpenStreetMap Website and Tangram free and open-source?

Yes. OpenStreetMap Website is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Tangram under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run OpenStreetMap Website and Tangram with Docker?

OpenStreetMap Website: yes. Tangram: check the project docs for container support.

Which is lighter on resources, OpenStreetMap Website or Tangram?

Tangram has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for OpenStreetMap Website. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.

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