Sitemap checker

What the sitemap checker does

This tool fetches a sitemap file, parses its XML, and extracts the URLs it contains. It reports the discovered URLs, giving you a view of what the sitemap advertises to search engines.

A sitemap is an XML file that lists URLs a site wants crawlers to know about. It can include metadata such as last modification dates and change frequency. Sitemaps help search engines discover pages, especially on large sites or sites with few external links.

Why sitemaps matter

Sitemaps are a direct communication channel with search engines. They make it easier to discover new and updated content, and they can provide hints about which pages matter. For large or frequently changing sites, a well-maintained sitemap is a practical way to support crawling.

Sitemaps also help with diagnosis. If a URL is missing from the sitemap, it may be harder for crawlers to find. If the sitemap contains URLs that should not be indexed, that is a signal to review the generation logic. Parsing the file reveals what is actually being submitted.

How to interpret the result

The tool reports the URLs found in the sitemap. Check whether the list matches your expectations: important pages should be present, and URLs that should not be indexed, such as staging or parameter variants, should not appear. Look for duplicates and for URLs that redirect, since those waste crawl attention.

Sitemaps can be indexes that point to other sitemaps. If the parsed file is a sitemap index, the discovered entries may be child sitemap URLs rather than page URLs. Review the structure to understand what the file contains. Also check that URLs use the canonical domain and protocol you intend.

Common sitemap issues

• Missing important pages. Key content is absent from the sitemap.
• Including non-indexable URLs. Staging, test, or parameter pages listed.
• Broken URLs. Entries that return errors or redirect.
• Outdated lastmod values. Modification dates that do not reflect real changes.
• Sitemap index confusion. Child sitemaps not clearly separated from page URLs.

Practical workflow

Parse the sitemap and compare the URLs against a sample of your important pages. Fix generation logic to include canonical, indexable URLs and exclude the rest. Submit the sitemap in search engine tools and monitor for errors. Re-check after major site changes, since sitemap generation is often overlooked during migrations.

Limitations

The checker parses the sitemap file provided to it. It does not verify that each URL is indexable or that the sitemap is referenced in robots.txt or search engine consoles.