OpenLayers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

OpenLayers is an open source (provided under a modified BSD license) JavaScript library for displaying map data in web browsers. It provides an API for building rich web-based geographic applications similar to Google Maps and MSN Virtual Earth. The current stable version is 2.6. OpenLayers is in the process of incubation into Open Source Geospatial Foundation.

OpenLayers is used by OpenStreetMap project for its "Slippy Map" map interface.

Features:

• Load map data from many sources:
  • Web Map Service
  • Web Feature Service
  • Google Maps
  • OpenStreetMap
  • Virtual Earth
  • Yahoo! Maps
  • MapServer
  • GeoServer
  • ka-Map
  • World Wind servers
• GeoRSS support
• Easy mouse/keyboard navigation
• Adding markers
• Layer selection

[edit] History

OpenLayers was created by MetaCarta and released as open source software by MetaCarta Labs. MetaCarta maintains an active role in supporting and managing the project. Two other open source mapping tools released by MetaCarta are FeatureServer and TileCache.

[edit] See also

• Mapstraction

[edit] External links

• OpenLayers Official Site
• OpenLayers Discussion Forum
• OpenLayers Roadmap