OSI-licensed only · self-hostable
Mapbox covers several jobs: a map-rendering SDK, vector tiles, routing and geocoding. Since mapbox-gl-js v2 the library is licensed under Mapbox's Terms of Service, so it is source-visible but not open source. The open-source ecosystem splits those jobs across several projects.
Every project below is under an OSI-approved licence (BSD, MIT, GPL-3.0), checked against its repository. You will usually combine one rendering library with a tile source and, if needed, separate routing and geocoding services.
Licences checked against each repository on November 7, 2026.
| Tool | Best for | Licence | Runs as |
|---|---|---|---|
| MapLibre GL JS | Drop-in vector-map rendering | BSD-3-Clause | Server |
| Leaflet | Simple, lightweight web maps | BSD-2-Clause | Server |
| OpenLayers | Feature-rich GIS in the browser | BSD-2-Clause | Server |
| deck.gl | Large-scale data visualisation on maps | MIT | Server |
| Protomaps (PMTiles) | Serverless vector tiles from a single file | BSD-3-Clause | Server |
| Valhalla | Open-source routing engine | MIT | Docker |
| Nominatim | Geocoding with OpenStreetMap data | GPL-3.0 | Docker |
Best for: Drop-in vector-map rendering
An open-source library for publishing maps in web apps, continuing from the last open-source release of Mapbox GL JS. Renders vector tiles with WebGL.
Best for: Simple, lightweight web maps
A lightweight JavaScript library for interactive maps, with a large plugin ecosystem.
Best for: Feature-rich GIS in the browser
A high-performance library for dynamic maps, supporting many tile and vector formats and projections.
Best for: Large-scale data visualisation on maps
A WebGL-powered framework for visual exploration of large datasets, usable on top of a base map library.
Best for: Serverless vector tiles from a single file
PMTiles is a single-file archive format for map tiles that can be served from static storage. The reference implementations in the repository are BSD-3.
Best for: Open-source routing engine
A routing engine and library for OpenStreetMap data supporting multiple travel modes, isochrones and map matching.
Best for: Geocoding with OpenStreetMap data
A search engine for OpenStreetMap data that supports forward and reverse geocoding.
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| If you need… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Replace Mapbox GL JS with minimal code changes | MapLibre GL JS |
| A simple map on a content site | Leaflet |
| GIS-style projections and formats | OpenLayers |
| Visualise millions of points | deck.gl with MapLibre |
| Self-hosted tiles without a tile server | Protomaps |
| Routing and geocoding | Valhalla and Nominatim |
Public source code, but under licences the Open Source Initiative doesn't approve. Fine to use; read the terms first.
Source for v2 and later is public, but it is licensed under the Mapbox Terms of Service for use with Mapbox products, so it is not open source.
Quick answers to common questions
Not in recent versions. mapbox-gl-js v2 and later is under Mapbox's Terms of Service. MapLibre GL JS continues from the last BSD-licensed version.
MapLibre GL JS for vector maps with a similar API, or Leaflet for simple maps.
Yes. These libraries render tiles but don't supply them. You can host OpenStreetMap-based tiles yourself or use a tile provider.
MapLibre follows the style specification derived from Mapbox's, but some Mapbox-specific style features and hosted services may not carry over.
Valhalla provides routing and Nominatim provides geocoding, both self-hostable, with OpenStreetMap data.
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