Import JSON

Two Ways to Import

Sitemap Editor makes it easy to import existing sitemaps from JSON files. Whether you have a sitemap you exported earlier, received from a colleague, or generated from another tool, you can load it into the editor in seconds. The import feature supports both direct JSON pasting and file uploads.

To import, click the File dropdown in the toolbar and select "Import JSON". A modal dialog opens where you can either paste your JSON data or click the file upload button to select a file. Once you click Import, your sitemap immediately appears on the canvas, ready for editing.

Supported JSON Format

The import feature understands the JSON format used by Sitemap Editor's export function. This includes the sitemap title and the full hierarchical structure with all page data. The format supports nested children to any depth, section colors, and URL slugs.

{
  "title": "My Website Sitemap",
  "sitemap": {
    "id": "node-1",
    "title": "Home",
    "slug": "/",
    "section": "home",
    "children": [...]
  }
}

The import also handles legacy formats where the sitemap object is at the root level without the title wrapper. This backward compatibility means you can import sitemaps created with older versions of the tool or from other sources that follow a similar structure.

Validation and Error Handling

The import feature validates your JSON before applying it. If the JSON is malformed or doesn't follow the expected structure, you'll see a clear error message explaining what went wrong. This prevents corrupted or incomplete data from breaking your editor.

For valid imports, the editor resets its state completely, clears any custom node positions, and rebuilds the canvas from scratch. This ensures a clean import with no leftover artifacts from your previous sitemap. The auto-layout algorithm positions all nodes, and you can then customize the layout as needed.