API overview
Find cell positions, query an area, and submit measurements.
Base URL
https://opencellid.orgMost operations require an API key, supplied as key. Request methods and parameter placement are described on each endpoint page.
Attribution required
When sharing OpenCellID data under CC BY-SA 4.0, credit OpenCelliD and link to the source and license. Attribution helps people discover and contribute to the project. See License and attribution for credit text, placement guidance and how to request an exception.
This license covers cell data returned by the API as well as dataset downloads.
Read cell data
| Operation | Path | Documentation |
|---|---|---|
| Get a cell position | /cell/get | Cell position |
| List cells in an area | /cell/getInArea | Cells in an area |
| Count cells in an area | /cell/getInAreaSize | Cell count |
Submit observations
| Operation | Path | Documentation |
|---|---|---|
| Add one measurement | /measure/add | Add a measurement |
| Upload a CSV file | /measure/uploadCsv | CSV upload |
| Upload a JSON file | /measure/uploadJson | JSON upload |
| Upload a CLF file | /measure/uploadClf | CLF upload |
Request and response formats
Supported formats and defaults vary by endpoint. Cell lookup documents XML as its default; area lookup documents KML. Select format=json explicitly when you want JSON from a supported read endpoint.
File uploads use multipart form data. A JSON upload is a file in the datafile field, accompanied by the key field; see the endpoint's cURL example.
Errors and data fields
- Errors: HTTP statuses and application error codes.
- Measurement fields: names, units and network identifiers.
- Measurement validation: filtering rules.