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jagan-shanmugam

OpenStreetMap MCP Server

explore_area

Analyze neighborhoods by generating detailed profiles of amenities and geographic features within a specified radius around coordinates for location-based research and comparisons.

Instructions

Generate a comprehensive profile of an area including all amenities and features.

This powerful analysis tool creates a detailed overview of a neighborhood or area by identifying and categorizing all geographic features, amenities, and points of interest. Results are organized by category for easy analysis. Excellent for neighborhood research, area comparisons, and location-based decision making.

Args: latitude: Center point latitude (decimal degrees) longitude: Center point longitude (decimal degrees) radius: Search radius in meters (defaults to 500m)

Returns: In-depth area profile including: - Address and location context - Total feature count - Features organized by category and subcategory - Each feature includes name, coordinates, and detailed metadata

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
latitudeYes
longitudeYes
radiusNo

Implementation Reference

  • Implementation of the explore_area tool handler. Queries OpenStreetMap Overpass API for multiple feature categories within a bounding box derived from center coordinates and radius. Groups results by subcategories and returns a comprehensive area profile including address information.
    async def explore_area(
        latitude: float,
        longitude: float,
        ctx: Context,
        radius: float = 500
    ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
        """
        Generate a comprehensive profile of an area including all amenities and features.
        
        This powerful analysis tool creates a detailed overview of a neighborhood or area by
        identifying and categorizing all geographic features, amenities, and points of interest.
        Results are organized by category for easy analysis. Excellent for neighborhood research,
        area comparisons, and location-based decision making.
        
        Args:
            latitude: Center point latitude (decimal degrees)
            longitude: Center point longitude (decimal degrees)
            radius: Search radius in meters (defaults to 500m)
            
        Returns:
            In-depth area profile including:
            - Address and location context
            - Total feature count
            - Features organized by category and subcategory
            - Each feature includes name, coordinates, and detailed metadata
        """
        osm_client = ctx.request_context.lifespan_context.osm_client
        
        # Categories to search for
        categories = [
            "amenity", "shop", "tourism", "leisure", 
            "natural", "historic", "public_transport"
        ]
        
        results = {}
        for i, category in enumerate(categories):
            await ctx.report_progress(i, len(categories))
            ctx.info(f"Exploring {category} features...")
            
            try:
                # Convert radius to bounding box
                lat_delta = radius / 111000
                lon_delta = radius / (111000 * math.cos(math.radians(latitude)))
                
                bbox = (
                    longitude - lon_delta,
                    latitude - lat_delta,
                    longitude + lon_delta,
                    latitude + lat_delta
                )
                
                features = await osm_client.search_features_by_category(bbox, category)
                
                # Group by subcategory
                subcategories = {}
                for feature in features:
                    tags = feature.get("tags", {})
                    subcategory = tags.get(category)
                    
                    if subcategory:
                        if subcategory not in subcategories:
                            subcategories[subcategory] = []
                        
                        # Get coordinates based on feature type
                        coords = {}
                        if feature.get("type") == "node":
                            coords = {
                                "latitude": feature.get("lat"),
                                "longitude": feature.get("lon")
                            }
                        elif "center" in feature:
                            coords = {
                                "latitude": feature.get("center", {}).get("lat"),
                                "longitude": feature.get("center", {}).get("lon")
                            }
                        
                        subcategories[subcategory].append({
                            "id": feature.get("id"),
                            "name": tags.get("name", "Unnamed"),
                            "coordinates": coords,
                            "type": feature.get("type"),
                            "tags": tags
                        })
                
                results[category] = subcategories
                
            except Exception as e:
                ctx.warning(f"Error fetching {category} features: {str(e)}")
                results[category] = {}
        
        # Get address information for the center point
        try:
            address_info = await osm_client.reverse_geocode(latitude, longitude)
        except Exception:
            address_info = {"error": "Could not retrieve address information"}
        
        # Report completion
        await ctx.report_progress(len(categories), len(categories))
        
        # Count total features
        total_features = sum(
            len(places)
            for category_data in results.values()
            for places in category_data.values()
        )
        
        return {
            "query": {
                "latitude": latitude,
                "longitude": longitude,
                "radius": radius
            },
            "address": address_info,
            "categories": results,
            "total_features": total_features,
            "timestamp": datetime.now().isoformat()
        }
  • OSMClient helper method that performs the core Overpass API query to fetch OSM features (nodes, ways, relations) filtered by a specific category tag within a bounding box. Called repeatedly by explore_area for each category.
    async def search_features_by_category(self, 
                                         bbox: Tuple[float, float, float, float],
                                         category: str,
                                         subcategories: List[str] = None) -> List[Dict]:
        """Search for OSM features by category and subcategories"""
        if not self.session:
            raise RuntimeError("OSM client not connected")
        
        overpass_url = "https://overpass-api.de/api/interpreter"
        
        # Build query for specified category and subcategories
        if subcategories:
            subcategory_filters = " or ".join([f'"{category}"="{sub}"' for sub in subcategories])
            query_filter = f'({subcategory_filters})'
        else:
            query_filter = f'"{category}"'
        
        query = f"""
        [out:json];
        (
          node[{query_filter}]({bbox[1]},{bbox[0]},{bbox[3]},{bbox[2]});
          way[{query_filter}]({bbox[1]},{bbox[0]},{bbox[3]},{bbox[2]});
          relation[{query_filter}]({bbox[1]},{bbox[0]},{bbox[3]},{bbox[2]});
        );
        out body;
        """
        
        async with self.session.post(overpass_url, data={"data": query}) as response:
            if response.status == 200:
                data = await response.json()
                return data.get("elements", [])
            else:
                raise Exception(f"Failed to search features by category: {response.status}")
  • OSMClient helper method used by explore_area to fetch address information for the center point of the exploration area via Nominatim reverse geocoding.
    async def reverse_geocode(self, lat: float, lon: float) -> Dict:
        """Reverse geocode coordinates to address"""
        if not self.session:
            raise RuntimeError("OSM client not connected")
        
        nominatim_url = "https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/reverse"
        async with self.session.get(
            nominatim_url,
            params={
                "lat": lat,
                "lon": lon,
                "format": "json"
            },
            headers={"User-Agent": "OSM-MCP-Server/1.0"}
        ) as response:
            if response.status == 200:
                return await response.json()
            else:
                raise Exception(f"Failed to reverse geocode ({lat}, {lon}): {response.status}")
  • Tool schema documentation including description, input parameters (latitude, longitude, radius), and output structure description.
    """
    Generate a comprehensive profile of an area including all amenities and features.
    
    This powerful analysis tool creates a detailed overview of a neighborhood or area by
    identifying and categorizing all geographic features, amenities, and points of interest.
    Results are organized by category for easy analysis. Excellent for neighborhood research,
    area comparisons, and location-based decision making.
    
    Args:
        latitude: Center point latitude (decimal degrees)
        longitude: Center point longitude (decimal degrees)
        radius: Search radius in meters (defaults to 500m)
        
    Returns:
        In-depth area profile including:
        - Address and location context
        - Total feature count
        - Features organized by category and subcategory
        - Each feature includes name, coordinates, and detailed metadata
    """
Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden. It mentions the tool is 'powerful' and creates 'comprehensive' and 'detailed' results, but lacks critical behavioral details: it doesn't specify data sources, rate limits, authentication needs, whether it's a read-only operation, or potential costs/limitations. For a tool with no annotation coverage, this is a significant gap in behavioral disclosure.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is well-structured with clear sections: purpose statement, elaboration, usage context, parameters, and returns. It's appropriately sized (about 100 words) and front-loaded with the core purpose. Some sentences could be more concise (e.g., 'This powerful analysis tool...' is somewhat verbose), but overall it's efficient with minimal waste.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool's moderate complexity (3 parameters, no annotations, no output schema), the description provides a basic but incomplete picture. It covers purpose, usage context, parameters, and return structure, but lacks behavioral details (e.g., data sources, limits) and full parameter semantics. Without an output schema, the 'Returns' section adds value by describing the response format, but it's not exhaustive. This is adequate but has clear gaps.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters2/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0%, so the schema provides no parameter documentation. The description includes an 'Args' section that lists parameters (latitude, longitude, radius) with minimal semantics (e.g., 'Center point latitude', 'Search radius in meters'). However, it doesn't explain parameter constraints (e.g., valid ranges for latitude/longitude, maximum radius), units beyond 'meters' for radius, or format details beyond 'decimal degrees'. This partially compensates but leaves important gaps.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool's purpose: 'Generate a comprehensive profile of an area including all amenities and features' and 'creates a detailed overview of a neighborhood or area by identifying and categorizing all geographic features, amenities, and points of interest.' This specifies the verb (generate/create) and resource (area profile), but doesn't explicitly differentiate it from sibling tools like 'analyze_neighborhood' or 'find_nearby_places'.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description provides implied usage context: 'Excellent for neighborhood research, area comparisons, and location-based decision making.' However, it doesn't explicitly state when to use this tool versus alternatives like 'analyze_neighborhood' or 'find_nearby_places' from the sibling list, nor does it mention any exclusions or prerequisites.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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