computer science

JOSM

JOSM is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand JOSM rather than just read about it. In short: JOSM () (Java OpenStreetMap editor) is a free software desktop editing tool for OpenStreetMap geodata created in Java, originally developed by Immanuel Scholz and currently maintained by Dirk Stöcker. The editing tool contains advanced features that are not present in OSM's default online editor, iD.

Key takeaways

JOSM belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect JOSM to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of JOSM from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

JOSM () (Java OpenStreetMap editor) is a free software desktop editing tool for OpenStreetMap geodata created in Java, originally developed by Immanuel Scholz and currently maintained by Dirk Stöcker. The editing tool contains advanced features that are not present in OSM's default online editor, iD.

Features

Some notable features of JOSM are importing GPX files (GPS tracks), working with aerial imagery (including WMS, TMS and WMTS protocols), support for multiple cartographic projections, layers, relations editing, data validation tools, data filtering, offline work, presets and rendering styles. JOSM provides more than 200 keyboard shortcuts for the core functions. Many additional features (like tools for drawing buildings, adding Wikipedia links or viewing data in 3D) are available through the plugins. There are more than 100 of them in the repository.

History The first changeset was created on 27 September 2005. The first beta version (which required Java 5) was made available on 4 October 2005 and JOSM 1.0 was released on 22 January 2006. The current versioning scheme, using code changeset number, was introduced in 2008. In 2014 the project logo was replaced with new one, which won a design contest. From this year stable releases are identified with additional YY.MM internal version number (following r6763 - 14.01), however they may not exactly reflect the release date. Since revision 10786 (16.07) released on 12 August 2016, support for Java versions earlier than 8 has been dropped. Compatibility with Java 9 added on 2 September 2017, revision 12712 (17.08). JOSM logo refreshed on 8 August 2019 to the current artwork. Java 16 support added on 18 March 2021 Since revision 17580 (21.02). JOSM had new macOS and Windows installers that both ship Java 16 and JavaFX 16 and Debian launcher required openjfx since revision 18193 (21.08) released on 2 November 2021.

Usage The highest number of edits in OSM are done using JOSM. The software was used to perform several large scale OSM imports, including TIGER data in the United States. JOSM can also be used for editing an OSM sister project OpenHistoricalMap. It's included as a package in many Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch Linux and the OSGEO Live DVD Various tutorials are available. The LearnOSM Tutorial, translated in 16 languages, has a section on JOSM. It covers the editing process, the tools, the plugins, the presets, the imagery functionalities, conflict resolution and other features.

References

External links

Official website JOSM help system JOSM page on OSM Wiki

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with JOSM

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what JOSM claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to JOSM before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about JOSM ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of JOSM

In research: JOSM appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses JOSM in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: JOSM is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Free GIS software, OpenStreetMap, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for JOSM outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study JOSM in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what JOSM means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain JOSM out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is JOSM in simple terms?

Why does JOSM matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study JOSM?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on JOSM.