Sitemap Index Checker

A sitemap index is an XML file whose job is to point crawlers toward other sitemap files. A Sitemap Index Checker verifies that the document actually uses `<sitemapindex>`, extracts child `<loc>` values and highlights duplicate or malformed child sitemap references. It is especially useful on large sites where several content-specific sitemap files are generated independently.

A broken child reference can make entire sections harder to discover even when the index file itself looks fine. Sitemap indexes also tend to accumulate stale child files after CMS migrations, language restructures or content-type changes. Checking the index helps teams see whether the map of maps still represents the live site.

1. 1Enter the sitemap index URL.
2. 2Confirm the root is `<sitemapindex>` rather than `<urlset>`.
3. 3Review the child sitemap URLs and look for duplicates or unexpected hosts.
4. 4Open or validate suspicious child sitemaps individually.
5. 5Update the index generator so removed child files disappear automatically rather than relying on manual edits.

• A valid sitemap index contains one or more `<sitemap>` entries with `<loc>` child URLs.
• Duplicate child URLs are unnecessary and can indicate generator bugs.
• A normal sitemap with `<urlset>` is not wrong by itself; it is simply not a sitemap index.
• Lastmod on sitemap entries should describe meaningful modification of the child sitemap when used.

• Index file references deleted child sitemaps.
• Child sitemap URLs redirect across protocol or hostname changes.
• Same child file listed more than once.
• Index mixes staging and production sitemap hosts.
• A framework accidentally places page URLs directly inside `<sitemapindex>`.

• Regenerate the index from the same production configuration that generates child files.
• Remove stale references and point directly to final child sitemap URLs.
• Use `<urlset>` for page-URL files and `<sitemapindex>` only for files that reference other sitemaps.
• Keep child sitemap naming predictable enough for monitoring and debugging.

• Group sitemaps in ways that help diagnosis, such as articles, products or locales.
• Do not create artificial category splits solely to produce more sitemap files.
• Validate newly added child files before adding them to the production index.
• Monitor index and child files after deploys because generation can fail at different layers.

The checker focuses on index structure and listed child URLs. It does not guarantee that every child sitemap is fully valid unless those files are checked separately.