Sitemap
A sitemap is a hierarchical diagram of a website's pages and the navigation between them, used in information architecture, content audits, and SEO planning.
In depth
Sitemaps come in two main flavors: visual sitemaps (the planning artifact — a tree of pages and sections) and XML sitemaps (the machine-readable file at /sitemap.xml that search engines crawl). They share the underlying structure but serve different audiences.
Information architects use visual sitemaps to plan content hierarchy before any pages are designed. The exercise reveals duplicate pages, orphan pages, and gaps in coverage.
OpenCharts supports visual sitemaps as flowchart-style trees with collapsible group containers per section. AI generation can propose a sitemap from a product description.
Also known as
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Build a sitemapRelated terms
User flow
A user flow is a diagram that maps the steps a user takes through a product or service to accomplish a specific goal, including screens, actions, and decision points.
Wireframe
A wireframe is a low-fidelity sketch of a digital interface that shows layout, structure, and content placement, intentionally stripped of color, typography, and visual polish.
Mind map
A mind map is a radial diagram that organizes information around a central idea, with primary branches for major themes and sub-branches for supporting details.