Some projects start with a technical idea. Others start with a human one.
LifeLines began with a simple thought: what if you could place the important stations of your life on a map — the places you lived, the cities where key events happened, the moments that shaped your story — and see them connected visually?
That is exactly what LifeLines does.
LifeLines is a lightweight web tool that lets you add the stations of one or multiple lives and display them as connected paths on an interactive map. Whether you want to trace your own journey, compare life paths with your spouse, or create a visual family story, the tool helps turn memories into something tangible and beautiful.
What you can do with LifeLines
With LifeLines, you can:
- add multiple people to one shared map,
- record places lived, milestones, and important events,
- connect those places with colored lines,
- search for locations via geocoding,
- create private share links,
- print the result or export it for later use.
The idea is intentionally simple: not a bloated platform, but a focused tool that helps you visualize where life happened. The project is built around OpenStreetMap via Leaflet, uses a responsive Bootstrap 5 interface, and is designed to run without a complicated build setup. It is also ready for English and German UI strings and includes testing support for both frontend and backend.
Why I built it
There is something special about seeing life on a map.
A list of places is informative. A story is emotional. But a visual path across towns, cities, and years adds another dimension entirely. You begin to notice patterns, intersections, distances, new beginnings, and shared chapters.
LifeLines is meant for exactly that. It can be personal, practical, nostalgic, or even a great conversation starter. You can use it to map your own life, your family’s history, or the journeys of two people whose stories eventually meet.
Built to be simple and usable
Technically, LifeLines stays intentionally lightweight. It uses PHP on the backend, vanilla JavaScript ES modules on the frontend, Bootstrap 5 for the UI, and OpenStreetMap/Leaflet for the map. It supports print/export options, private read-only share links, and responsive usage across devices. The project was also set up with documentation and quality in mind, including README, CONTRIBUTING, CHANGELOG, security guidance, and automated tests.
Who it is for
LifeLines can be useful for:
- families mapping their shared history,
- couples comparing where they grew up and where life brought them,
- people documenting moves and milestones,
- anyone who enjoys visual storytelling.
Try it
The app is now live at:
If you try it, I’d love to hear what kinds of stories you map with it.
Because sometimes a map is more than geography.
Sometimes it is biography.
Leave a Reply