Sitemap
In short
A sitemap is a backstop, since agents mostly arrive by following links. Read on in Self-check question 3. Compare it with llms.txt and robots.txt. Sitemap belongs to the Find area of the self-check. Ora's traced runs found agents reached sitemap.xml in about 4 percent of runs (October 2026).
Definition
A file that lists the pages you want automated visitors to find. Useful, though agents mostly arrive by following links.
A dated example
- Read 4 Nov 2026
Ora's traced runs found agents reached sitemap.xml in about 4 percent of runs (October 2026).
Where it matters
It is a backstop, since agents mostly arrive by following links.
Related terms
- llms.txtA proposed plain-text file that points AI tools to a site's most useful pages, written for language models.
- robots.txtA public text file at the root of a site that tells automated visitors which parts they may visit.
Sources
- AgentReady.org guide (agentready.org), read 4 Nov 2026. Vendor claim.
Last reviewed