OwnTracks Recorder is a lightweight service for collecting, storing, and retrieving location updates published by OwnTracks mobile apps. It ingests messages via MQTT subscriptions or HTTP POST, stores data locally on disk (without requiring an external database), and exposes the stored data through a built-in web server.

Key Features

Ingests OwnTracks location messages via MQTT or HTTP
Local on-disk storage with an embedded LMDB index (no separate database server required)
Built-in HTTP server with REST API for querying locations, tracks, and GeoJSON outputs
WebSocket interface for live updates (e.g., live map views)
Includes the ocat CLI to query and export stored data in different formats
Optional Lua hooks for event processing and customization
Optional payload encryption support (when built with libsodium)

Use Cases

Personal or family location history with a self-controlled storage backend
Live location dashboard fed from OwnTracks apps via MQTT
Exporting and analyzing historical tracks for devices/users

Limitations and Considerations

Designed specifically around the OwnTracks message format and workflow
HTTP mode can require additional configuration for multi-user “Friends” setups

OwnTracks Recorder is well-suited for reliable, low-resource location data collection on modest hardware while still providing convenient REST and real-time interfaces for visualization and integration.