OpenStreetMap Edit Stream Screensaver
The OpenStreetMap Edit Stream screensaver shows real recent changesets submitted to the crowdsourced world map. It is free, runs in your browser, and ESC exits.
Live preview
Press ESC to leave fullscreen. Settings are saved in your browser only.
How the OpenStreetMap Edit Stream screensaver works
The saver reads real recent changesets from OpenStreetMap's own public API.
Each entry shows a real contributor's username, edit comment and change count.
The pipeline refreshes the feed regularly as new changesets are submitted.
No key is required for this key-less public endpoint.
How OpenStreetMap changesets work
OpenStreetMap is a map of the world edited collaboratively by volunteers, and its data is used by many apps and services. Contributors edit with tools such as iD and JOSM, and uploads are grouped into changesets. A changeset is a collection of elements edited by a mapper in a single editing session, with a timestamp, the mapper’s username and optional tags such as a comment and the editing software used.
The change count says how many objects the changeset touched, and the API also splits it into created, modified and deleted. Objects are nodes, which are points, ways, which are lines or area outlines made of nodes, and relations, which group other objects, such as a bus route. A changeset closes automatically at 10,000 elements, so a very large import or mechanical edit arrives as several changesets, while a small one often fixes a single shop or footpath.
Comments are optional and written by mappers in many languages, so quality varies and some are empty. The stream does not show what moved on the map or whether an edit is correct. The changeset page on OpenStreetMap shows the tags and geometry, and because smaller changesets are easier to review, other mappers can revert mistakes.
A worked example
A real changeset comment like "added building polygons" from a real contributor scrolls past exactly as they wrote it.
Settings & tips
- Usernames and comments are real OpenStreetMap contributor edits, not simulated.
- Accent recolours the ticker text.
- This shows changeset metadata only, not the full geometry diff.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this real map-edit data?
- Yes — real changesets from OpenStreetMap's own API.
- Is a key needed?
- No. OpenStreetMap's changesets API is fully key-less.
- Can I see the actual map changes?
- This shows changeset metadata, not a rendered diff of the map itself.
- Is it free?
- Yes — free, no download, in your browser.
- What are nodes, ways and relations?
- Nodes are points, ways are ordered lines or area outlines made of nodes, and relations group objects together, as with a bus route or a multi-part area.
- Why do comments appear in many languages?
- Mappers across the world write their own edit comments, so the stream reflects whichever languages are active at that moment.
- Is every edit correct?
- No. Edits are made by volunteers and can contain mistakes, and other mappers can review and revert changes that are wrong.