The search query may also contain
[special phrases](https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Nominatim/Special_Phrases)
-which are tranlated into specific OpenStreetMap(OSM) tags (e.g. Pub => amenity=pub).
-Note that this only limits the items to be found. It is not suited to return complete
-lists of OSM objects of a specific type.
-Use [Overpass API](https://overpass-api.de/) for that.
+which are translated into specific OpenStreetMap (OSM) tags (e.g. Pub => `amenity=pub`).
+Note that this only limits the items to be found, it's not suited to return complete
+lists of OSM objects of a specific type. For those use [Overpass API](https://overpass-api.de/).
## Parameters
* `q=<query>`
Free-form query string to search for.
- Free-form queries are processed first left to right and then right to
- left if that fails. So you may search for
+ Free-form queries are processed first left-to-right and then right-to-left if that fails. So you may search for
[pilkington avenue, birmingham](//nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=pilkington+avenue,birmingham) as well as for
[birmingham, pilkington avenue](//nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=birmingham,+pilkington+avenue).
- Commas are optional, but improve performance by reducing the complexity
- of the search.
+ Commas are optional, but improve performance by reducing the complexity of the search.
* `street=<housenumber> <streetname>`
- `city=<city>`
- `county=<county>`
- `state=<state>`
- `country=<country>`
- `postalcode=<postalcode>`
+* `city=<city>`
+* `county=<county>`
+* `state=<state>`
+* `country=<country>`
+* `postalcode=<postalcode>`
- Alternative query string format for structured requests.
+ Alternative query string format split into several parameters for structured requests.
Structured requests are faster but are less robust against alternative
OSM tagging schemas. **Do not combine with** `q=<query>` **parameter**.
* `json_callback=<string>`
-Wrap json output in a callback function (JSONP) i.e. `<string>(<json>)`.
+Wrap json output in a callback function ([JSONP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSONP)) i.e. `<string>(<json>)`.
Only has an effect for JSON output formats.
### Output details
* `accept-language=<browser language string>`
Preferred language order for showing search results, overrides the value
-specified in the "Accept-Language" HTTP header.
+specified in the ["Accept-Language" HTTP header](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers/Accept-Language).
Either use a standard RFC2616 accept-language string or a simple
comma-separated list of language codes.
* `limit=<integer>`
-Limit the number of returned results. (Default: 10)
+Limit the number of returned results. (Default: 10, Maximum: 50)
* `viewbox=<x1>,<y1>,<x2>,<y2>`
* `bounded=[0|1]`
When a viewbox is given, restrict the result to items contained with that
-viewbox (see above). When `viewbox` and `bounded` are given, an amenity
+viewbox (see above). When `viewbox` and `bounded=1` are given, an amenity
only search is allowed. In this case, give the special keyword for the
-amenity in squaer brackets, e.g. `[pub]`. (Default: 0)
+amenity in square brackets, e.g. `[pub]`. (Default: 0)
### Polygon output