
Show HN: Pathfinder – Routing as a service - ajmichael
https://pathfinder.readme.io/blog/pathfinder-now-in-public-beta
======
akeruu
Genuine candid question : why use this when we have more established solutions
like Graphhopper[0], the OSRM Project[1] or Open Trip Planner[2] among others
?

[0] [https://graphhopper.com/](https://graphhopper.com/)

[1] [http://project-osrm.org/](http://project-osrm.org/)

[2]
[http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OpenTripPlanner](http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OpenTripPlanner)

~~~
ajmichael
Thanks for the question! I'll admit I have limited knowledge about those
services, but I believe they solve a slightly different problem. Pathfinder's
primary use is services that have N drivers that can service any of M
transportation requests.

The GraphHopper and OSRM Matrix APIs are closer to what Pathfinder does,
however they do not assign route segments to vehicles. Pathfinder is perhaps
one abstraction layer over them.

~~~
karussell
What are you using for calculating the time or distances between the services?
(Edit: okay, saw another comment stating you are using Google Matrix API)

Basically you need a distance matrix for your vehicle routing problem.

BTW: the GraphHopper Directions API uses jsprit to solve VRP etc problems:
[https://graphhopper.com/#os-comparison](https://graphhopper.com/#os-
comparison)

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pbreit
LOL, I thought this was going to be some sort Angular/React/Etc routing as a
service thing!!

~~~
jlas
Ha, I thought it was packet switched network routing as a service.

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CameronBanga
I understand it's a beta, but no pages on pricing?

This would be an API I would build my business around. No way I would touch it
without an idea of how much it will cost me once it exits beta.

~~~
ajmichael
Hey Cameron,

I understand your concern. At this point, we have no plans to charge for
Pathfinder. Furthermore, if you're concerned about future viability of the
API, all of our code is MIT-licensed at
[https://github.com/csse497](https://github.com/csse497) so it can be self
hosted.

~~~
wc-
What is your plan for long term profitability if you have no plans to charge
for this? I am nervous building tech around a free service that may either
transition to a deal-breaking price (google app engine) or may disappear
entirely due to the business going under.

~~~
jeffasinger
It looks like it's open source with an MIT License, so at least you should
have the option to self host.

[https://github.com/CSSE497](https://github.com/CSSE497)

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karussell
A bit unfair ... they stole _our_ phrase "routing as a service" !1! ;)

[https://twitter.com/graphhopper](https://twitter.com/graphhopper)

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spatialfiend
I haven't dug around the code much but I assume this is using "As the Crow
Flies" distances between points? I don't see any references to OSM or street
network data.

~~~
ajmichael
We tried out "as the crow flies", OSM with the OSRM Distance Matrix API, and
the Google Maps Distance Matrix API. We're currently using Google API although
we may switch back to OSRM for scaling purposes.

~~~
karussell
For an open source project using OSM services might be wise not only scaling-
wise :)

See 10.4 c) iv) "No asset-tracking unless you have purchased the applicable
Maps for Work license." [https://developers.google.com/maps/terms#10-license-
restrict...](https://developers.google.com/maps/terms#10-license-restrictions)

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eric-hanson
Hey, I noticed that I need to sign into google to make an account. Does this
require a google account?

~~~
ajmichael
Hi Eric,

At the moment, we only support Google SignIn for creating accounts. We will
certainly support more options in the future, but up until now we've been
spending most of our time building our routing and api servers.

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philip1209
TSPaaS?

~~~
ajmichael
As catchy as that is, KVRPaaS would be more appropriate.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_routing_problem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_routing_problem)

