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io.github.gander-tools/osm-tagging-schema-mcp

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MCP server for querying and validating OpenStreetMap tags

Source code Documentation

Install

Add this to your client's MCP configuration (Claude Desktop: claude_desktop_config.json; Cursor: .cursor/mcp.json; VS Code and others use the same "mcpServers" shape).

NPM package @gander-tools/osm-tagging-schema-mcp
Claude Code 
claude mcp add osm-tagging-schema-mcp -- npx -y @gander-tools/osm-tagging-schema-mcp@3.0.1
JSON configuration (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code) 
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "osm-tagging-schema-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@gander-tools/osm-tagging-schema-mcp@3.0.1"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Documentation

From the project's README on GitHub, refreshed weekly. Links open on GitHub.

Contents
  1. OpenStreetMap Tagging Schema MCP Server
  2. What is this?
  3. Project status
  4. How it works
  5. What works and what doesn't
  6. Summary
  7. What this is NOT
  8. Installation
  9. HTTP transport
  10. License

OpenStreetMap Tagging Schema MCP Server

What is this?

This is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server designed specifically for AI agents and LLM applications. It acts as a bridge between artificial intelligence systems and the comprehensive OpenStreetMap tagging knowledge base provided by the official @openstreetmap/id-tagging-schema library.

Project status

This project is a Proof of Concept. It gives real value in some areas and has known gaps in others, both described honestly below.

  • It works with the latest tagging schema, @openstreetmap/id-tagging-schema v7.
  • A better replacement tool is being worked on. It will arrive later than originally planned, and no date is promised.

Bug reports and ideas: open an issue or start a discussion.

How it works

The server runs over stdio (default) or HTTP and exposes the tagging schema as MCP tools. Every tool reads the schema data shipped in @openstreetmap/id-tagging-schema (presets, fields, deprecated tags, translations) and answers from it deterministically. There is no network access to OSM and no AI inside the server: the AI agent calls the tools and interprets the results.

Validation checks a tag against the schema: known key, value allowed by the matching field, deprecated key/value with a suggested replacement.

What works and what doesn't

The tool has limitations. Know what to expect before relying on it: it answers from the schema data only, and a part of the tags that exist in the wild or on the OSM wiki is not covered.

ToolWorksLimitations
validate_tagPopular tags accepted (100%), almost no false deprecated alarms (99.2%)Detects only ~20% of wiki-deprecated tags; typos and foreign values are accepted as valid (custom tags are allowed); railway=platform and railway=station are wrongly flagged as deprecated
validate_tag_collectionConsistent with validate_tag (100%)Same gaps as validate_tag; control characters are not reported
suggest_improvementsPreset matched for 92% of popular tagsTypos and foreign values usually yield suggestions, not a problem report
get_tag_values97% of taginfo values present; bad keys and limits rejectedA few taginfo values are missing from the lists
search_tagsFinds 60% of keys by nameNo typo tolerance despite the fuzzy-matching description; keys with a colon (addr:street) are often missed; limit of 0 or negative not always rejected; access returns a keyMatches item without key
search_presetsPreset found for 69% of popular tags (56% in top 3)Multi-word queries (bicycle parking) can return nothing; weak ranking; limit of 0 or negative not always rejected
get_preset_detailsPreset exists for 93% of popular tags; unknown ids always rejectedSome popular tags (e.g. historic=*, craft=grinding_mill, railway=stop) have no preset
compare_tagsMatches local computation (100%); text and JSON input give identical outputCompares any tag sets, so it never says a tag is wrong; only malformed input is rejected
flat_to_jsonLossless, including ;, spaces, =, Unicode, : and /Duplicate keys and control characters are accepted silently
json_to_flatLossless round-trip (100%); bad input rejectedKeys are not sorted alphabetically, input order is kept

Across all tools, invalid input never crashed the server: errors are readable or the result is an empty list.

Summary

Useful where deterministic logic is enough: format conversion, comparing tag sets, reading presets and values, validating popular tags. Weakest areas: deprecated tag detection and search (typos, multiple words, colon keys).

What this is NOT

⚠️ Important clarifications:

  • Not a standalone application: This server requires integration with AI systems (like Claude Code or Claude Desktop) to be useful. It has no user interface or web frontend.
  • Not for direct human use: Without an AI agent as an intermediary, this tool provides no value to end users. It's designed exclusively for programmatic access by LLM applications.

If you're looking for a user-facing OSM tagging tool, consider iD editor or JOSM instead.

Installation

Add the server to Claude Code (stdio):

# npx
claude mcp add --transport stdio osm-tagging-schema -- npx -y @gander-tools/osm-tagging-schema-mcp

# Docker
claude mcp add --transport stdio osm-tagging-schema -- docker run -i --rm ghcr.io/gander-tools/osm-tagging-schema-mcp:latest

HTTP transport

stdio is the default. Set TRANSPORT=http to serve over HTTP (streamable, port 3000 in the Docker image):

VariableDefaultMeaning
TRANSPORTstdiostdio or http
PORT3000HTTP port
HOST0.0.0.0HTTP bind address
CORS_ORIGINShttp://localhost:6274,https://mcp.ziziyi.comComma-separated allowed CORS origins
LOG_LEVELINFOSILENT, ERROR, WARN, INFO, DEBUG
docker run --rm -p 3000:3000 -e TRANSPORT=http ghcr.io/gander-tools/osm-tagging-schema-mcp:latest

Endpoints: GET /health (liveness), GET /ready (schema loaded), GET /version.

License

GNU General Public License v3.0 - See LICENSE file for details.

Frequently asked questions

What is io.github.gander-tools/osm-tagging-schema-mcp?

MCP server for querying and validating OpenStreetMap tags

How do I install io.github.gander-tools/osm-tagging-schema-mcp?

It runs on your machine. In Claude Code: claude mcp add osm-tagging-schema-mcp -- npx -y @gander-tools/osm-tagging-schema-mcp@3.0.1. For other clients, paste the JSON configuration from this page into their MCP settings.

Does io.github.gander-tools/osm-tagging-schema-mcp need an API key?

Its registry entry lists no required key or secret. Some features may still need an account with the service it connects to.

Is io.github.gander-tools/osm-tagging-schema-mcp open source?

Yes. Its code is on GitHub under the GPL-3.0 license.

Who maintains io.github.gander-tools/osm-tagging-schema-mcp?

It is published by gander-tools. AI.tn lists it but does not maintain or endorse it.

From the official MCP Registry. Listing is not an endorsement: review a server's code and permissions before giving it access to your data.