This tool helps you view the history of an object or feature and allows you to compare different versions of that feature. It includes information about tags, the editors that made the edits, etc.
Prerequisites
An OSM account.
Understanding of OSM tagging.
Willingness to research issues using available tools/resources.
Skill Instruction
OSM Deep History (JOSM)
To access an object's history in JOSM:
Select the feature.
Use the hotkey Ctrl + H to open the history window.
This window includes:
Version history
Left hand side
A list of editors that have modified the feature and dates when each edit was made.
You can move a dot in columns A and B. This will allow you to select a different version of the object to compare against another one.
The arrow ↑↓ keys will allow you to quickly switch between version so you can compare the changes.
Each version is also assigned a color to indicate each time there was a tag change or when the history stayed the same.
Tags
Right hand side.
Shows selected version histories(A/B). The most recent changes are shown when first opening the history window.
Each version will show:
Version # and date of the changeset.
Username
Clicking on the username will open the user profile of the editor in a web browser.
Changeset info with a dropdown for more options. (see below for more details)
Clicking on the changeset # will open the changeset in OSM. Selecting one of the other tools will open the changeset in that tool.
Changeset comment and source info.
Tag info
🟢 Green for created
🟡 Yellow for modified
🔴 Red for deleted
Version # next to each tag
The main things to take note of will be the date, user, changeset comments, and any tag changes.
Coordinates
Top right tab
Shows basic changeset info listed above.
Shows lat/long coordinates for the feature. (These can be copied/pasted)
Shows the distance.
Displays the feature on a minimap.
OSM Deep History (Web)
In the web version of OSM Deep History, we have the option to query OSM IDs of Nodes, Ways, and Relations.
Getting History
To do this:
Select the type of feature you're searching for: node, way, or relation.
Enter the ID for the feature.
Click Get History.
This will generate a complete version history of the feature as well as render a visual of the feature.
Click Show More to see geometry changes and visual version history.
Hovering over each version history will highlight the feature in red and show the version history # above the feature.
Hovering over the visual change will also show the version # above the feature.
Version History
Version history is where you can see the tag changes for each changeset also known as the version history. This appears on the right hand side next to the map.
This includes:
Version #
Shows the version number for each changeset.
An export button appears next to the number when you click Show More. This exports the coordinates of each node/way of the feature in a new web browser.
