XML Sitemap Generator & Splitter
Generate, validate, and split XML sitemaps and sitemap index files from a list of URLs, enforcing 50,000-URL limits and protocol rules.
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3 URLs • 0.56 KBXML Sitemap Architecture & Standards
Google Search Console requirements, sitemap index protocols, and scaling limits.
Protocol Boundaries (50,000 URLs / 50 MB)
A single sitemap file must not exceed 50,000 URLs or 50 MB uncompressed. Websites with larger catalogs partition URLs into sub-sitemaps and bind them under a sitemap index file.
Sitemap Index Hierarchy
Sitemap index documents utilize the <sitemapindex> root tag. Submitting the primary index file URL to Google Search Console registers all linked child sitemaps automatically.
Canonical & Protocol Best Practices
Always include full absolute URLs with exact protocols (HTTPS) and trailing slash consistency. Exclude redirected pages (301/302), canonicalized duplicates, and 404 error routes.
W3C Datetime Lastmod Formatting
Use standard W3C date formats (YYYY-MM-DD or YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ssTZD). Accurate lastmod tags allow crawlers to prioritize re-crawling updated pages efficiently.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many URLs can I include in a single sitemap?
A single sitemap file can contain up to 50,000 URLs and must not exceed 50MB uncompressed. If you have more URLs or exceed file limits, use a sitemap index file to organize multiple sub-sitemaps.
Do priority and changefreq affect SEO?
Major search engines like Google largely ignore priority and changefreq values, prioritizing accurate lastmod timestamps and crawl frequency instead.
What's a sitemap index file?
A sitemap index file is an XML document that groups multiple sitemaps under <sitemapindex> and <sitemap> tags so you can submit one primary index URL to Google Search Console.
Should I include images or only HTML pages?
You should include canonical HTML pages as well as specialized XML image tags if image search visibility drives meaningful discovery for your application.