TAG :: Toronto Area Geocachers » Opencaching has an API

Dec 07 2010

Opencaching.com comes with something interesting. An Application Programming Interface.  This means that third party developers can make applications that work with cache data on that site. The possibilities range from the obvious – smartphone clients will most likely appear for the site very quickly – to the more creative. You could potentially have websites tracking challenges like a Fizzy matrix without the need for a local GSAK install.

Groundspeak has countered (via Moun10bike) that they have been planning an API since before they heard about. Opencaching, and hope to launch it in early 2011.

I know from my visits to the Groundspeak forums, this is a sore point for the caching community. We have terms like “the application which must not be named” when discussing third party caching applications that utilize the Groundspeak data. Now Garmin’s offering is compelling as they are embracing third party developers rather than sabre rattling toward those developers who fill a niche before(/instead of) Groundspeak does.  For example, there is a very real possibility that an application like GCzII will support Garmin’s offering while use of that same app potentially risks getting your user account banned for a Terms of Use violation at Geocaching.com.

2011 is shaping up to be an interesting year for geocachers!