TullMap

TullMap is an open-source mapping platform designed to enable interactive maps, spatial analysis, and data management for researchers, planners, and developers. It offers a modular architecture that supports both client-side map embedding and server-side data hosting, aiming to be adaptable to a range of use cases from education to municipal planning.

The project originated from TullTech and released its first public version in 2018. It is developed by a community of contributors and maintained with corporate sponsorships. The codebase is hosted on a public repository with an issue tracker and contribution guidelines.

Architecture and features: It comprises a WebGL-based client library for rendering vector tiles, a tile server for serving map tiles, and a data-management layer that can connect to PostGIS databases. It supports vector and raster data, GeoJSON and Shapefile imports, and styling through a declarative stylesheet. The platform provides APIs for data sources, layer management, and custom widgets. It can operate offline with locally cached tiles and supports interoperability with other GIS ecosystems via standard formats and protocols. Licensing is MIT, with optional enterprise components.

Applications and impact: Users employ TullMap for urban planning simulations, disaster response mapping, education, and research. It integrates with existing GIS workflows and can be extended with plugins and external services for geocoding, routing, and analytics. The project emphasizes openness, community governance, and interoperability.

See also: Geographic Information System, vector tiles, OpenLayers, Leaflet, Mapbox.