Standard for hierarchical sitemaps

[matthewruzzi]

Body

Are there any standards for creating machine readable sitemaps with a hierarchical structure similar to the outline on the left sidebar on sites like https://just-the-docs.com/? The Sitemaps XML format doesn't currently support this.

https://software.codidact.com/posts/295262

Guidelines

• I have read and understood this category's guidelines before making this post.

[tmilost]

Why isn't there a standard?

The standard sitemap.xml is essentially a flat "to-do list" for search engines. It’s great for telling Google a page exists, but it’s terrible at explaining how those pages relate to one another.

Because the official XML protocol doesn't support nesting, developers use three "de facto" standards to handle hierarchical site structures.

1. The "Documentation Standard" (YAML/JSON)

If you look under the hood of sites like Just the Docs, Docusaurus, or MkDocs, they don't use XML for hierarchy. They use a YAML configuration file.

• Why: It is much easier for humans to write and for machines to parse into a visual sidebar.
• The Format: It uses indentation to define parent-child relationships.

sidebar:
  - Getting Started:
      - Installation: "/docs/install"
      - Basic Setup: "/docs/setup"
  - Advanced Features:
      - Custom Hooks: "/docs/hooks"

2. The "SEO Standard" (JSON-LD Breadcrumbs)

Google doesn't usually want to read a separate "tree" file; they prefer to see the hierarchy directly on the individual pages.

• The Standard: Schema.org BreadcrumbList (via JSON-LD).
• How it works: You embed a small script on every page that tells a bot: "I am Page C, my parent is Page B, and my grandparent is Page A."
• The Result: This is what generates the "Home > Products > Shoes" links you see in Google search results.

3. The "Old School" Standard (OPML)

If you specifically need an XML-based format designed for outlines, OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language) is the answer.

• The Vibe: Popular in the early days of RSS and blogging.
• Use Case: If you need to export your site structure so a different application (like an outliner or a mind-mapping tool) can perfectly recreate your folders and sub-folders.

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Comparison: Which format should you choose?

Goal	Best Format	Primary Consumer
Building a Sidebar	YAML / JSON	Your website's code
Helping Search Engines	JSON-LD Breadcrumbs	Google/Bing Bots
Data Portability	OPML	Outlining & RSS apps

The bottom line: If you are building a site and want a machine-readable sidebar, avoid the standard Sitemaps XML. Instead, create a nav.yml or sidebar.json file. This has become the industry standard for documentation and modern web architecture.

[matthewruzzi]

I am looking to make an app for browsing documentation sites and I would like to have the navigation sidebar be part of the app itself, not just the webpage. I would like a machine readable format that can be standardized across all documentation sites. What would be the best way to propose and create a standard? Is OPML the best format to base it on?

[khaleedbinaziz1]

Congrats on creating your organization! 🎉
Here are a few things you can do next:

Add repositories – start with small projects or templates.

Invite collaborators – teammates or friends can help you contribute.

Push commits regularly – keep your repos active.

Promote your org – share it on social media or developer communities.

Contribute to open-source – your org can fork popular repos and submit PRs.
This way, your organization stays active and visible, and you’ll also start earning contributions.

[xcontcom]

Where can I promote it? On Twitter?
Also, if I invite people, will they delete all the repos?