StreetComplete is a free Android app and a data editor for OpenStreetMaps. With this app, you can contribute to OpenStreetMaps by assigning names to locations. You can add names to missing roads, parks, houses, streets, and more. It lets you work on naming and mapping individually, or you can do that in teams. Basically, for each location it asks for some questions that you have to answer, and then it will upload your data to the servers.
This app shows you the map of the whole world in street view. You can just go to any location and start mapping that area by assigning names and landmarks. The best practice is that you start from your location and even add your teams so that it will split the questionnaire among the same group of people, making the naming process faster and smother.
StreetComplete auto-detects the places on the maps, and it only needs you to assign correct names and building types. The app is ad free, and you can get started right after allowing location access.
Free OpenStreetMap Data Editor for Android: StreetComplete
Download and install this app from here. Allow it to access the phone’s location, and then you will see the street map loaded for your location. If you want, then you can start from any location on the map.
To assign a name, you can just tap on any location and then enter a name. You can also see names added to the same place by other people. Not only this, but you can also enter the name of the currently selected place in some other languages too.
Similarly, you can specify the type of building as well. Unidentified building are shown as huts. Just tap anyone of them and then specify what it is and the save the changes.
The app lets you work in team mode. This will help you map a certain area together and the questions will be split between all the members. This is a good option if you want to map a certain area with your friends or family members. To enable team mode, you just tap on the little hamburger icon from on the top right side and enter the number of people in your team.
There are some additional options that you can configure in the app from the app settings. You can switch to the dark/light mode on demand. Or, you can opt to not submit the answers instantly. You can also select what kind of questions and quests you want while mapping an area. This is as simple as that.
So, if you’d like to help an open community to make a better product and alternative to some popular proprietary services out there and this app here is one good option. Here you don’t really need any sign in or something like that to get started. But you can create a profile in the app to show other who you are.
Final thoughts:
Due to not enough open projects, often’s have a slow development process and hence they reply on general people like you and me. I think we should take part in these projects and contribute as much as we can. Most projects also require programming, but if you are from a technical background then you can take part in non-technical projects such as OpenStreetMap. This app here is a great initiative to map the entire world trough crowdsourcing and one day it will be a good Google Maps and Apple Maps alternative.
