Overview

Most Overpass mistakes happen before execution:

• the area definition is too loose
• the tag family is too narrow or too broad
• ways and relations are forgotten
• the output is not matched to the downstream workflow

Builder pattern

Draft the query from four parts:

1. area definition
2. feature family
3. geometry scope
4. output mode

Example worksheet

AOI:
  bbox | area relation | polygon

Feature family:
  schools | clinics | settlements | power | water

Geometry scope:
  node + way + relation

Output:
  out center tags;

Example generated query

Preflight checklist

• Does the query include every geometry type that matters?
• Is the tag family defensible for the method?
• Is the output small enough to inspect?
• Is the file naming ready for the pipeline stage that follows?

Related pages