OpenLayers simplifies the process of integrating a dynamic map onto any website or page.
OpenLayers is a dynamic map display library that makes it easy to incorporate maps into any webpage or website. With the ability to display map tiles and markers loaded from a variety of sources, OpenLayers is an excellent tool for those looking to incorporate geographic information into their projects.
Initially developed by MetaCarta, OpenLayers was gifted to the public to further the use of geographic information in all kinds of applications. As a pure JavaScript library with no server-side dependencies, OpenLayers is completely free and open source, released under a BSD-style License.
OpenLayers uses a JavaScript API to build rich web-based geographic applications, similar to Google Maps and MSN Virtual Earth APIs, but with an important difference - OpenLayers is developed for and by the Open Source software community. Becoming a project of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation, OpenLayers implements industry-standard methods for geographic data access, such as the OpenGIS Consortium's Web Mapping Service (WMS) and Web Feature Service (WFS) protocols.
Under the hood, OpenLayers is written in object-oriented JavaScript and uses components from Prototype.js and the Rico library. The code base already has hundreds of unit tests via the Test.AnotherWay framework. As a framework, OpenLayers separates map tools from map data, breaking down proprietary silos that earlier GIS revolutions have taught civilization to avoid.
Ultimately, the mapping revolution on the public web should benefit from the experience of history, and OpenLayers makes significant contributions to that effort.
Initially developed by MetaCarta, OpenLayers was gifted to the public to further the use of geographic information in all kinds of applications. As a pure JavaScript library with no server-side dependencies, OpenLayers is completely free and open source, released under a BSD-style License.
OpenLayers uses a JavaScript API to build rich web-based geographic applications, similar to Google Maps and MSN Virtual Earth APIs, but with an important difference - OpenLayers is developed for and by the Open Source software community. Becoming a project of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation, OpenLayers implements industry-standard methods for geographic data access, such as the OpenGIS Consortium's Web Mapping Service (WMS) and Web Feature Service (WFS) protocols.
Under the hood, OpenLayers is written in object-oriented JavaScript and uses components from Prototype.js and the Rico library. The code base already has hundreds of unit tests via the Test.AnotherWay framework. As a framework, OpenLayers separates map tools from map data, breaking down proprietary silos that earlier GIS revolutions have taught civilization to avoid.
Ultimately, the mapping revolution on the public web should benefit from the experience of history, and OpenLayers makes significant contributions to that effort.
What's New
Version 2.6 / 2.7 RC1: N/A