kepler.gl vs OSIRIS
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
Open-source web tool and React component for visualizing large geolocation datasets on maps.
Open source · MIT
A web dashboard that plots live flights, cameras, quakes, fires and news on a 3D map.
The short answer
Choose kepler.gl if you need…
- Developers who want to add map-based data exploration to a React and Redux app
- Analysts who need to explore large location datasets visually in the browser
- Teams that already use MapLibre or Mapbox basemaps
Choose OSIRIS if you need…
- People who want to explore how a live open-data map dashboard is built
- Developers interested in Next.js and MapLibre GL map applications
- Researchers looking at which public data sources can be combined on one map
- Users who want to try the hosted demo at osirisai.live
Side-by-side
| kepler.gl | OSIRIS | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 12.1k | 11.5k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
kepler.gl
Kepler.gl is a browser-based application for exploring large geographic datasets on interactive maps. It is also a React component that developers can embed into their own apps, with state managed by Redux. According to the README, it can render millions of points and perform spatial aggregations on the fly.
OSIRIS
Osiris is a web-based map dashboard that combines many public data feeds, such as flight tracking, earthquake alerts, fire hotspots, traffic cameras and news streams, into one interface. It uses MapLibre GL to draw the data on a globe. The README also describes a RECON toolkit with lookups like DNS, WHOIS, port scanning and sanctions searches.
Best for
kepler.gl
- Developers who want to add map-based data exploration to a React and Redux app
- Analysts who need to explore large location datasets visually in the browser
- Teams that already use MapLibre or Mapbox basemaps
OSIRIS
- People who want to explore how a live open-data map dashboard is built
- Developers interested in Next.js and MapLibre GL map applications
- Researchers looking at which public data sources can be combined on one map
- Users who want to try the hosted demo at osirisai.live
Strengths
kepler.gl
- Built on MapLibre GL and deck.gl, which the README says support high-performance rendering
- Can be embedded as a React component and is described as highly customizable
- Released under the MIT license
OSIRIS
- Combines many public data sources into a single map view
- Built with Next.js 16 and TypeScript, so the code is readable for web developers
- Released under the MIT license
Not ideal for
kepler.gl
- People who need a no-code tool with no setup: the README focuses on npm installs and embedding, and the hosted demo is the easiest path for non-developers
- Projects that cannot use Node 20 or newer, since the README says older versions are not supported or tested
- Projects needing a stable release: the latest release listed is an alpha (v3.3.0-alpha.19)
OSIRIS
- Anyone needing verified intelligence: the README describes data from many third-party feeds and does not discuss accuracy or validation
- Users who need a fully offline tool, since most layers call external APIs
- People expecting a polished packaged download: the latest release has no binaries
Trade-offs
kepler.gl
- The latest release is an alpha version, so APIs may change
- Setup requires familiarity with npm, React, and Redux for embedding
- Default basemaps depend on MapLibre or Mapbox configuration, which the README explains only briefly
OSIRIS
- Depends on many external data sources, which may change or go offline; the README notes some Texas camera availability varies
- Some features, such as OI Forecast, require your own paid model API key
- The README is truncated and does not give full setup instructions
Getting started
kepler.gl
Install kepler.gl modules
npm install --save @kepler.gl/components maplibre-glOSIRIS
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/simplifaisoul/osirisRun offline tests after install
npm testFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between kepler.gl and OSIRIS?
kepler.gl: Open-source web tool and React component for visualizing large geolocation datasets on maps. OSIRIS: A web dashboard that plots live flights, cameras, quakes, fires and news on a 3D map. kepler.gl suits developers who want to add map-based data exploration to a react and redux app, while OSIRIS suits people who want to explore how a live open-data map dashboard is built.
Are kepler.gl and OSIRIS free?
kepler.gl: Free and open source. OSIRIS: Free and open source.
Is kepler.gl or OSIRIS more popular?
kepler.gl has more GitHub stars (12.1k) than OSIRIS (11.5k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to kepler.gl and OSIRIS?
Other options people compare them with include visx, Plotly.js, deck.gl, G6, Turf.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.