Organic Maps: Open Source Navigation and the Rise of CoMaps

Organic Maps provides offline, privacy-focused navigation

Organic Maps is a navigation application designed for offline use, allowing users to access maps and GPS functionality without a network connection. The application is built to enable users to fix map errors immediately, offering a more direct contribution model than proprietary navigation apps.

The emergence of CoMaps as a FOSS fork

CoMaps has emerged as a community-driven fork of Organic Maps, created primarily due to concerns regarding the governance and licensing practices of the Organic Maps project.

Community members have cited several reasons for the shift toward CoMaps, including:

• Governance and Trust: Users have expressed concerns over the management of Organic Maps, with some alleging the misappropriation of donations and the quiet introduction of ads.
• Licensing Issues: While Organic Maps is associated with open source, F-Droid notes that the app contains non-open source components, specifically compiled binary data files (such as .mwm map files) under a non-FLOSS license.
• Feature Development: CoMaps is actively seeking developers to modernize its codebase, specifically targeting scene lifecycle support and CarPlay Dashboard integration.

Historical context and the Maps.me connection

Organic Maps shares a lineage with Maps.me and MapsWithMe. This connection is a point of contention for some users who recall the transition of Maps.me from a paid, functional app to one that utilizes aggressive subscription-based advertising and pop-overs to restore previously existing functionality, such as the ability to download more than 10 offline map areas.

Comparative landscape of offline mapping

While Organic Maps and CoMaps focus on mobile application delivery, other projects are exploring different delivery mechanisms for map data:

• Web-based Access: Projects like cartes.app are developing web clients to reduce the reliance on dedicated mobile applications for standard mapping use cases.
• Offline Reliability: User experiences confirm that the GPS and mapping functionality of Organic Maps remains highly effective in remote areas without network connectivity, making it a viable tool for hiking and off-grid navigation.

"Organic Maps was my go to app for a navigation app where you can fix errors yourself immediately! So much better than having to work for free on the proprietary apps, and hope they accept your edits"

"OM has a long history of malicious behaviour like quietly adding ads, turning a part of its previously open sourced code proprietary and misappropriating donations."

"I had my first hiking in a route without network connection one month ago... It showed me the possibility that some feature work well without network."