000000book
000000book (2009) is an open database for Graffiti Markup Language (GML) files. The name is six zeroes — #000000, black in hex — like a graffiti writer’s blackbook where they practice tags.
I built and have maintained 000000book for over 15 years. It’s the central repository for GML files created by apps like Graffiti Analysis, FatTag, DustTag, Laser Tag, EyeWriter, and dozens of third-party tools. In 2026 I started rebuilding it as 000000book 2.0.
The 000000book front page in January 2010, with tags uploaded by writers from DustTag and FatTag.
The database now contains over 75,000 tags from writers around the world.
In 2013 Motherboard called me “the technical brains behind #000000Book” in a piece on the open source graffiti movement.
How it works
Anyone can upload GML files to the database via the API. The site includes an HTML5 canvas player for replaying tags in the browser, viewing tag metadata, and browsing the archive.
Marker to GML. Diagram by FAT Lab, 2009.
iPhone to GML. Diagram by FAT Lab, 2009.
Tags can be uploaded anonymously or linked to user accounts. Many graffiti-related apps auto-upload to 000000book as part of their workflow.
The open graffiti triangle
000000book was designed to complete what we called the “open graffiti triangle”:
- Open source software — Graffiti Analysis and other apps
- Open data format — GML
- Open database — 000000book
All three pieces working together to preserve and share digital graffiti.
Links
In October 2012, 000000book was in SPEED SHOW: GML, a group show about GML in Berlin.
See also: 000000book 2.0, Graffiti Markup Language (GML), FAT Lab