Geocoding & Data Fetching

Learn how to convert addresses to coordinates and fetch data from the syte API.

Geocoding Required

syte APIs require geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude) or syte IDs as request parameters. Currently, syte does not provide address-to-coordinate conversion, so you'll need to use a third-party geocoding service.

Typical Workflow

Convert address to coordinates

Use a third-party geocoding service to convert human-readable addresses to latitude/longitude coordinates.

Fetch object from syte

Use the coordinates to request building or property data from the syte API.

Use syte ID for additional data

Use the syte ID from the response to fetch additional data or perform analyses for the object.

Recommended Geocoding Services

Service	Type	Free Tier	Pricing	Best For
OpenStreetMap Nominatim	Free	Unlimited (1 req/sec)	Free	Completely free, no API key required
LocationIQ	Freemium	100,000/month	$5 per 1,000	Generous free tier, OSM data
TomTom	Freemium	2,500/day	Low cost per 1,000	Commercial-friendly, high quality
Google Maps	Freemium	$200 credit/month	$5 per 1,000	High accuracy, global coverage
HERE	Freemium	250,000/month	Enterprise pricing	High volume free tier
Radar	Paid	Trial available	$0.50 per 1,000	90% cheaper than Google

* Always check the latest terms of service for commercial usage restrictions and data storage policies.

Example: Using OpenStreetMap Nominatim

Here's how to geocode an address using the free OpenStreetMap Nominatim service:

Geocoding with Nominatim

Important: Nominatim requires a valid User-Agent header and limits requests to 1 per second. For production use, consider hosting your own Nominatim instance or using a commercial service.

Complete Workflow Example

This example demonstrates the complete workflow from address to syte data:

Address to syte Data Workflow

Best Practices

Use Commercial Geocoding Services for Production

We strongly recommend using a commercial geocoding service like Google Maps for high-quality production apps. While Nominatim is great for development and testing, commercial services provide superior accuracy and reliability.

Validate Geocoding Results

Always validate geocoded addresses before using the coordinates. When dealing with user input, display the geocoding result on a map and let users confirm the location to ensure accuracy.

Use syte IDs for Subsequent Requests

After retrieving an object through the syte API with geocoordinates, continue using the syte identifiers. All responses contain the necessary IDs to reference the object and related objects (e.g., the property ID the building is on), which is more efficient than repeated geocoding.

Additional Resources

Nominatim Documentation
Complete API reference for OpenStreetMap Nominatim
Authentication Guide
Learn how to authenticate with the syte API
API Reference
Explore all available Syte API endpoints