Introducing node-sitemap-cli: A Flexible Sitemap Generator for Node.js Projects

Are you looking for a simple yet powerful way to generate sitemaps for your Node.js projects? Meet node-sitemap-cli, a flexible sitemap generator that makes the process straightforward and efficient.

What is node-sitemap-cli?

node-sitemap-cli is an open-source tool built to help developers automatically generate sitemaps for their web applications. Using node-html-parser under the hood, it provides a command-line interface that makes sitemap generation accessible to everyone, from beginners to experienced developers.

Key Features

• Easy Installation: Available through npm as a global or local package
• Flexible Configuration: Customizable options for baseUrl, output directory, and crawl depth
• Command-line Interface: Simple commands for generating sitemaps with custom parameters
• Modern Node.js Support: Built for Node.js 14.x and later versions

Getting Started

Global Installation

npm install -g node-sitemap-cli

Once installed globally, you can generate a sitemap using:

generate-sitemap

Local Project Installation

For project-specific usage:

npm install node-sitemap-cli

Add it to your package.json scripts:

{
  "scripts": {
    "generate-sitemap": "generate-sitemap"
  }
}

Customization Options

The tool comes with several configuration options to suit your needs:

• baseUrl: Define your starting URL (default: ‘http://localhost:3000’)
• outDir: Specify output directory for the sitemap (default: ’./public’)
• maxDepth: Set maximum crawl depth (default: 3)

Example with custom options:

generate-sitemap baseUrl=https://your-site.com outDir=./public maxDepth=5

Best Practices and Considerations

1. Development Environment:

   • Start your local server before generation
   • Use appropriate localhost URL and port
   • Example: generate-sitemap baseUrl=http://localhost:3000

2. Production Usage:

   • Use your live website URL as baseUrl
   • Ensure the site is accessible during generation
   • Consider sitemap size for large websites

Limitations to Keep in Mind

• Cannot crawl pages requiring authentication
• May not include JavaScript-rendered content
• Large sites might need optimization or multiple sitemap files

Why Choose node-sitemap-cli?

1. Simplicity: Easy to install and use with minimal configuration
2. Flexibility: Customizable options for different project needs
3. Modern: Built with current Node.js practices in mind
4. Open Source: MIT licensed and open for community contributions

Getting Involved

The project is open source and welcomes contributions from the community. Whether it’s bug fixes, feature additions, or documentation improvements, your input is valuable.

Conclusion

node-sitemap-cli offers a straightforward solution for generating sitemaps in Node.js projects. Its combination of simplicity and flexibility makes it a valuable tool for developers looking to improve their site’s SEO and crawlability.

Ready to try it out? Head over to node-sitemap-cli on GitHub to get started!