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io.github.cyanheads/openstreetmap-mcp-server

by cyanheads · remote · local (npm) · no sign-in to list tools · v0.6.1 · published by GitHub user cyanheads

Geocode, reverse geocode, and run Overpass spatial queries on OpenStreetMap data.

Changes · 2
CompareRegistry entry

6 tools: 2 change things and 4 only read.

Scanned Oct 21, 2026

2 checks matched something in the tool definitions. No finding is not a safety guarantee. How the checks work.

claude mcp add --transport http openstreetmap https://openstreetmap.caseyjhand.com/mcp

Findings

Matches of fixed checks, with the text they matched.

2 warn
  • Warnopenstreetmap_reverse_geocode

    The server marks "openstreetmap_reverse_geocode" read-only (readOnlyHint: true), and its own name, description or input give the class "write".

    Matched text

    annotations: {"readOnlyHint":true,"idempotentHint":true,"openWorldHint":true}; The description's first verb is "convert": a word for a change.

    What this check looks for
  • Warnopenstreetmap_query_raw

    The server marks "openstreetmap_query_raw" read-only (readOnlyHint: true), and its own name, description or input give the class "write".

    Matched text

    annotations: {"readOnlyHint":true,"idempotentHint":true,"openWorldHint":true}; The name "openstreetmap_query_raw" says "query": a word for reading.

    What this check looks for

Tools

Open a tool for its reasons and full description. Descriptions are the publisher's own words, shown as they are.

6 tools

Changes things 2Claude Code: ask
  • openstreetmap_query_rawRun an arbitrary Overpass QL query for anything the convenience tools cannot express: multi-type or union queries, relation membership, historical queries, regex tag matching.1 finding

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "openstreetmap_query_raw" says "query": a word for reading.
    • The description's first verb is "run": a word for a change.
    • The server marks it read-only (readOnlyHint: true), but an annotation never lowers a class.

    Findings

    • Warn

      The server marks "openstreetmap_query_raw" read-only (readOnlyHint: true), and its own name, description or input give the class "write".

      Matched text

      annotations: {"readOnlyHint":true,"idempotentHint":true,"openWorldHint":true}; The name "openstreetmap_query_raw" says "query": a word for reading.

      What this check looks for
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Run an arbitrary Overpass QL query for anything the convenience tools cannot express: multi-type or union queries, relation membership, historical queries, regex tag matching. The query must include [out:json], e.g. "[out:json][timeout:15];node[\"natural\"=\"peak\"](47.5,-122.5,47.7,-122.2);out body;"; scope to an OSM boundary with rel(<id>);map_to_area->.a; or way(<id>);map_to_area->.a; then (area.a) on each statement (the 2400000000 way-area offset is gone since Overpass 0.7.57; openstreetmap_query_bbox takes the same scope as within, without QL). The response is one page: page with limit and offset, read totalFound and truncated for the whole match, and an element over max_element_bytes arrives with its members, nodes or geometry array withheld whole and withheldNotice saying how to fetch it back. For plain "near X" or "in this area" questions use openstreetmap_query_nearby or openstreetmap_query_bbox.

    Annotations the server declares

    • readOnlyHint: true
    • idempotentHint: true
    • openWorldHint: true
  • openstreetmap_reverse_geocodeConvert a latitude/longitude pair to the nearest address or named place via Nominatim.1 finding

    Why it is in this group

    • The description's first verb is "convert": a word for a change.
    • The server marks it read-only (readOnlyHint: true), but an annotation never lowers a class.

    Findings

    • Warn

      The server marks "openstreetmap_reverse_geocode" read-only (readOnlyHint: true), and its own name, description or input give the class "write".

      Matched text

      annotations: {"readOnlyHint":true,"idempotentHint":true,"openWorldHint":true}; The description's first verb is "convert": a word for a change.

      What this check looks for
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Convert a latitude/longitude pair to the nearest address or named place via Nominatim. The result is the closest indexed OSM object at the requested zoom (18 building, 10 city), which in dense areas can be a neighbouring feature rather than the one containing the coordinate; proximity and layer pick it, never an OSM attribute tag, so find features by tag with openstreetmap_query_nearby, openstreetmap_query_bbox, or openstreetmap_query_raw.

    Annotations the server declares

    • readOnlyHint: true
    • idempotentHint: true
    • openWorldHint: true
Only reads 4Claude Code: allow
  • openstreetmap_lookup_objectsFetch the Nominatim address record for known OSM objects by ID, 50 per call with any more returned under deferred_ids, each prefixed N (node), W (way), or R (relation), e.g.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "openstreetmap_lookup_objects" says "lookup": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Fetch the Nominatim address record for known OSM objects by ID, 50 per call with any more returned under deferred_ids, each prefixed N (node), W (way), or R (relation), e.g. "N240109189". Use it for IDs already in hand from openstreetmap_query_nearby or openstreetmap_query_bbox; it returns only objects named in osm_ids and lists those with no Nominatim record under not_found (Nominatim skips unnamed and non-place objects, so such an ID may still exist). It cannot select by tag, so discover objects with those tools or openstreetmap_query_raw first.

    Annotations the server declares

    • readOnlyHint: true
    • idempotentHint: true
    • openWorldHint: true
  • openstreetmap_query_bboxFind OSM features inside an area via the Overpass API, for surveys of everything in a region (openstreetmap_query_nearby covers proximity to a point).No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "openstreetmap_query_bbox" says "query": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Find OSM features inside an area via the Overpass API, for surveys of everything in a region (openstreetmap_query_nearby covers proximity to a point). Scope with the four corner fields south, west, north, east, or with within and a single OSM boundary ref such as a city relation or a park way, which searches the boundary polygon itself instead of an overcovering box; never both. Filter with amenity, or with tag_key plus an optional tag_value, ANDing up to five more filters; every feature returns with its full OSM tag set (no extratags flag here).

    Annotations the server declares

    • readOnlyHint: true
    • idempotentHint: true
    • openWorldHint: true
  • openstreetmap_query_nearbyFind OSM features within a radius of a point via the Overpass API, the tool for "what is near X?" questions.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "openstreetmap_query_nearby" says "query": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Find OSM features within a radius of a point via the Overpass API, the tool for "what is near X?" questions. Filter with amenity, or with tag_key plus an optional tag_value, ANDing up to five more filters; every feature returns with its full OSM tag set (no extratags flag here), sorted nearest-first by distance_meters, with nodes covering standalone POIs and ways covering buildings and areas.

    Annotations the server declares

    • readOnlyHint: true
    • idempotentHint: true
    • openWorldHint: true
  • openstreetmap_search_placesGeocode a place name or address to coordinates and structured place data via Nominatim.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "openstreetmap_search_places" says "search": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Geocode a place name or address to coordinates and structured place data via Nominatim. Send either a free-form query or the structured address fields (street, city, county, state, country, postalcode), never both; results are the best-ranked matches, not every matching object, and matching never uses an OSM attribute tag, so filter or enumerate by tag with openstreetmap_query_nearby, openstreetmap_query_bbox, or openstreetmap_query_raw.

    Annotations the server declares

    • readOnlyHint: true
    • idempotentHint: true
    • openWorldHint: true

This is not a safety rating, and no finding is not a safety guarantee. The groups and findings come from fixed checks of the tool definitions the server returned on the date shown, not from its code or what it does when called. How the checks work.

Install

Pinned to version 0.6.1. Values in angle brackets are yours to fill in.

claude mcp add --transport http openstreetmap https://openstreetmap.caseyjhand.com/mcp

Run in a terminal.

Claude Code permissions

Allow the reads, ask before a change, deny the deletes. Paste into .claude/settings.json.

.claude/settings.json
{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "mcp__openstreetmap__openstreetmap_search_places",
      "mcp__openstreetmap__openstreetmap_lookup_objects",
      "mcp__openstreetmap__openstreetmap_query_nearby",
      "mcp__openstreetmap__openstreetmap_query_bbox"
    ],
    "ask": [
      "mcp__openstreetmap__openstreetmap_reverse_geocode",
      "mcp__openstreetmap__openstreetmap_query_raw"
    ],
    "deny": []
  }
}

Tools that only read are allowed, tools that change things ask first, tools that delete or cancel are denied. It assumes the server is installed as openstreetmap. Review it before you use it.