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Geocoder (Ruby) is a geocoding library for Ruby.

Geocoding helps to enhance webpages by presenting location relevant information to the user.

When used with Rails, Geocoder adds geocoding functionality such as finding coordinates with street addresses or vice versa in addition to distance calculations for ActiveRecord objects.

Since the functionality does not rely on proprietary database functions, finding different geocoded objects in an area works out-of-the-box for databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL and SQLite.

Reverse geocoding is the process of back (reverse) coding of a point location (latitude, longitude) to a readable address or place name.

This permits the identification of nearby street addresses, places, and/or areal subdivisions such as neighbourhoods, county, state, or country.

Combined with geocoding and routing services, reverse geocoding is a critical component of mobile location-based services and Enhanced 911 to convert a coordinate obtained by GPS to a readable street address which is easier to understand by the end user.

In computer programming, an Application Programming Interface (API) is a set of subroutine definitions, protocols, and tools for building application software.

In general terms, it is a set of clearly defined methods of communication between various software components.

A good API makes it easier to develop a computer program by providing all the building blocks, which are then put together by the programmer.

Open data is the idea that some data should be freely available to everyone to use and republish as they wish, without restrictions from copyright, patents or other mechanisms of control.

The goals of the open data movement are similar to those of other "open" movements such as open source, open hardware, open content and open access.

The philosophy behind open data has been long established (for example in the Mertonian tradition of science), but the term "open data" itself is recent, gaining popularity with the rise of the Internet and World Wide Web and, especially, with the launch of open-data government initiatives such as Data.gov and Data.gov.uk.