# Parse a direct sitemap.xml file

**Use case:** 

Extract URLs from a known sitemap.xml without robots.txt discovery. The XML sitemap parser still follows nested indexes and gzip if this file is an index. Capped at 500 URLs. $0.50 per 1,000 extracted URLs; failures free.

## Input

```json
{
  "startUrls": [
    "https://www.sitemaps.org/sitemap.xml"
  ],
  "discoverFromRobots": false,
  "tryCommonPaths": false,
  "maxUrls": 500,
  "maxSitemaps": 200,
  "maxConcurrency": 4,
  "requestTimeoutSecs": 30
}
```

## Output

```json
{
  "url": {
    "label": "URL",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "lastmod": {
    "label": "Last modified",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "changefreq": {
    "label": "Change freq.",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "priority": {
    "label": "Priority",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "sourceSitemap": {
    "label": "Source sitemap",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "status": {
    "label": "Status",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "errorCode": {
    "label": "Error",
    "format": "string"
  }
}
```

## How it works

### 1. Sign up on Apify or log in

The Sitemap URL Extractor: Bulk XML Sitemap Parser Actor is ready to run with the inputs already set for "Parse a direct sitemap.xml file". [Sign up or log in](https://console.apify.com/create-task-from-example/wG6dct0Bl7OtWmaxR) and you'll land in Apify Console with a copy of this exact task.

### 2. Start the "Parse a direct sitemap.xml file" task

The Sitemap URL Extractor: Bulk XML Sitemap Parser Actor will start running based on the input automatically. You can also change all the input fields, like website or sitemap urls, discover sitemaps from robots.txt, and more, to match your specific use case.

### 3. Receive the "Parse a direct sitemap.xml file" output

Monitor the progress in real time. You will be notified as soon as your dataset is complete and ready for review. Each result includes data such as URL, last modified, change freq., and more.

### 4. Integrate into your workflow

The final output is delivered in JSON, CSV, or Excel format, ready to be plugged into your workflow. You can also [run the "Parse a direct sitemap.xml file" task via API](https://apify.com/hillcountrybots/sitemap-url-extractor.md).

## FAQ

### Will it follow a sitemap index?

Yes. If the file you give is a sitemap index, nested urlset files (including .gz) are followed, up to maxSitemaps.

### Does this crawl the website?

No. It only fetches the sitemap XML you provide (and nested index files). Pages missing from the sitemap are not invented.

## About this Actor

This example demonstrates how to use [Sitemap URL Extractor: Bulk XML Sitemap Parser](https://apify.com/hillcountrybots/sitemap-url-extractor.md) with a specific input configuration. Visit the [Actor detail page](https://apify.com/hillcountrybots/sitemap-url-extractor.md) to learn more, explore other use cases, and run it yourself.


## How to integrate an Actor?

This Task's input is already configured above. Use it as-is rather than inventing a new one.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For full API examples (JavaScript, Python, CLI, MCP, OpenAPI), see this Task's Actor page: https://apify.com/hillcountrybots/sitemap-url-extractor.md

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).