offlinekarta

Offlinekarta is an open-source offline mapping and navigation platform designed to provide detailed geographic data without requiring an active internet connection. It enables users to download regional map data, search locations, and calculate routes entirely offline.

The project emphasizes privacy and portability, allowing users to store maps locally on devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops, and to update data without relying on mobile connectivity.

Data and coverage: Map data is primarily sourced from OpenStreetMap and other public datasets. The project adheres to the licenses of its data sources and provides tools to update and manage offline map packs.

Features include offline routing for driving, cycling, and walking; points of interest; search by names or coordinates; bookmarking and annotations; GPX export; multi-language support; and customizable map styles.

Technical design: Uses vector tiles and a lightweight rendering engine to reduce storage and improve performance on mobile devices.

Platforms: Clients exist for Android and iOS, with desktop variants for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Development and licensing: As an open-source project, offlinekarta is developed by volunteers with a public repository and issue tracker; code is released under a permissive license, while data licenses vary by source.

Usage and impact: Offlinekarta helps travelers, field researchers, and emergency responders navigate and map areas with limited or no internet access.