Since the last Android release @CoMaps@floss.social allows using a custom server from which to download map files.
This decreases reliance on CoMaps-run infrastructure but is also great for people who live in places with limited internet connectivity, as you can now serve maps from local networks.
To make it easier, I wrote a small CLI tool over the weekend that downloads maps of interest & then serves them locally. A first alpha release for testing is on Codeberg:
https://codeberg.org/gedankenstuecke/comaps-map-distributor
#OpenStreetMap
I partially made this for myself: At home, our internet isn't the fastest, so downloading the identical map files from the internet multiple times, to different devices, is slow and pointless. With this I can download them once and my computer and distribute them from there.
Works for other uses too: if you're on a metered internet connection. Or for folks living in rural communities with no connectivity at all. Being able to distribute the APK and the map files locally can be really great!
@gedankenstuecke@scholar.social
Great project I didn't know about.
How does #CoMaps compares with #OrganicMapsB
@giacomo@snac.tesio.it, please see https://www.comaps.app/news/2025-05-12/3
Cc: @gedankenstuecke@scholar.social
@cnx@awkward.place
well I think this is #freesoftware working at its best: I'm not deep enough in the #OrganicMaps' politics to know who is right and who is wrong, but forks are always welcome, in my opinion.
#Diversity is #resilience.
@gedankenstuecke@scholar.social
@cnx@awkward.place @giacomo@snac.tesio.it OM is unfortunately not really FOSS anymore(?) as necessary parts of their map generator is not openly published/licensed.
Otherwise, here's an update of where CoMaps is today: https://www.comaps.app/news/2025-12-16/comaps-and-its-community-end-of-2025/ and differences to OM are also here in terms of features: https://www.comaps.app/support/how-do-the-features-differ-from-those-of-organic-maps/
@gedankenstuecke@scholar.social
Very interesting.
May I ask a couple of questions about your python scripts? #RTFM is a valid response, but I'm not at pc now...
1) is it possible to keep track of maps' updates?
2) what the difference between #OpenStreetMaps' maps, the ones from #CoMaps and the one from #OrganicMaps (I didn't know there was a dedicated organic maps server, I thought all maps were from open street maps!)
3) I see the server.py "just" wraps an #HTTPServer: is it possible to publish the downloaded maps on a public (static) shared hosting to be shared with friends?
Given how cheap is shared web hosting these days, this feature might turn #CoMaps to one of the best #privacy preserving tools for people and small communities!
@cnx@awkward.place
@gedankenstuecke@scholar.social
Very interesting.
May I ask a couple of questions about your python scripts? #RTFM is a valid response, but I'm not at pc now...
1) is it possible to keep track of maps' updates?
2) what the difference between #OpenStreetMaps' maps, the ones from #CoMaps and the one from #OrganicMaps (I didn't know there was a dedicated organic maps server, I thought all maps were from open street maps!)
3) I see the server.py "just" wraps an #HTTPServer: is it possible to publish the downloaded maps on a public (static) shared hosting to be shared with friends?
Given how cheap is shared web hosting these days, this feature might turn #CoMaps to one of the best #privacy preserving tools for people and small communities!
@cnx@awkward.place
Bastian Greshake Tzovaras
