computer science

StreetComplete

StreetComplete 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 StreetComplete rather than just read about it. In short: StreetComplete is an easy-to-use OpenStreetMap editor that can be used without prior knowledge about OpenStreetMap. The app prompts users to answer questions like "What are the opening hours here?" or "Is this still here?" about places and objects in their surrounding.

Key takeaways

StreetComplete 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 StreetComplete to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of StreetComplete from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

StreetComplete is an easy-to-use OpenStreetMap editor that can be used without prior knowledge about OpenStreetMap. The app prompts users to answer questions like "What are the opening hours here?" or "Is this still here?" about places and objects in their surrounding. Answering these questions helps to keep the OpenStreetMap database complete and up to date.

Functionality

The app is based on a map view in which places and things with missing or dated OpenStreetMap data are marked. Users can complete this data by answering simple questions (called quests). These quests are designed in such a way that answering them on site is quick and easy and no special expertise or prior knowledge is needed. In case the answer to a quest does not match one of the selection options, other OpenStreetMap contributors can be asked for help by submitting a note. StreetComplete focuses on adding further details to already existing objects. As a result of this, users can only modify a subset of the data stored in the OpenStreetMap database. It is, e.g., not possible to change the geometry of buildings or roads. For such changes, users must switch to other editors, such as the iD editor.

Gamification A unique feature of the app compared to other OpenStreetMap editors is the use of gamification. Users are rewarded points for solved quests and can see their national and global rank.

Usage In the ranking of OpenStreetMap editors, StreetComplete takes second place according to number of users and fourth place according to number of edits. This makes the app the highest-placed smartphone app in both categories.

Development StreetComplete is an Open Source project licensed under the GNU General Public License 3.0. The source code is published on the project website. An Android app was released in 2017, an iOS version is planned.

References

External links

Official website Openstreetmap:StreetComplete

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with StreetComplete

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what StreetComplete 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 StreetComplete 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 StreetComplete 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 StreetComplete

In research: StreetComplete 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 StreetComplete 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: StreetComplete 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 StreetComplete 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.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study StreetComplete in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what StreetComplete 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 StreetComplete out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is StreetComplete in simple terms?

Why does StreetComplete 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 StreetComplete?

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 StreetComplete.