A short definition of XML sitemaps and what they do for public, indexable URLs.
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Short answer
An XML sitemap is a machine-readable list of URLs that a site wants search engines to discover more easily. It supports discovery, but it does not guarantee indexing.
Why it matters
A sitemap is a clean record of intended public URLs. It is especially useful on static sites because the URL inventory can be generated directly from content metadata.
How to verify
Open the sitemap and confirm the intended public URLs are listed.
Check whether draft or archived content is excluded.
Confirm the URLs in the sitemap match the canonical page paths.
Sources and notes
Google Search Central documentation is the primary reference for sitemap construction and submission.