SELECT * FROM OPENSTREETMAP;
Layercake converts OpenStreetMap data into tables and publishes them as GeoParquet layers that you can query with SQL, straight from a URL.
Compatible with your favorite tools
Most geospatial data comes in tables: a separate file per layer, with a fixed set of columns and OGC Geometries. OpenStreetMap's native format does not fit this mould, which makes it harder to use with common GIS tools and workflows.
Layercake translates OSM data into tabular form, and publishes the results for anyone to use. Query it with SQL using DuckDB, load it into a Pandas dataframe with GeoPandas, or open it directly in QGIS.
No download required
Layercake uses GeoParquet, a cloud-native file format. This means software can efficiently access the data from a remote server using HTTP Range Requests. You don't need to download an entire Layercake layer to use it; just point your tool at the layer's URL and it will fetch the portions of the file it needs on demand.
No new taxonomy
Layercake presents OpenStreetMap's folksonomy of tags directly, rather than inventing a new schema or classification system. Is a print shop different from a copyshop? Is a pizzeria a type of Italian restaurant? Layercake has no opinion. Columns map one-to-one to OSM tags, so you can interpret the data in whatever way makes sense for your use case.