Difference between XML Sitemap & HTML Sitemap?

Difference between XML Sitemap & HTML Sitemap?

The simplest explanation is that XML is primarily for the search engines while HTML is written for the users. A XML sitemap protocol is specifically intended for search engine spiders. At its root, XML is a file that includes all the behind the scenes activity on a web site.

A XML sitemap protocol is specifically intended for search engine spiders. At its root, XML is a file that includes all the behind the scenes activity on a web site.
This can include when the URL was last updated, how important it is, the average frequency changes occur, the URLs relation to the rest of the site, etc.

HTML is just a general overview of the site, just the pages and info a user needs to be concerned with. If you’re on a web site and you’re looking for the shopping cart or the ‘Contact Us’ page and can’t find it, you’d go to the sitemap and easily find it there.

Read this - it explains all sitemap file types including XML, text, RSS and HTML types and when to use them:
https://www.microsystools.com/products/sitemap-generator/help/website-sitemap-kinds-comparison/

HTML sitemap is a plain text sitemap used by browsers to know and surf through your website pages. XML sitemap is a coded sitemap used to submit in webmaster tool to help spiders crawl them and index the webpages in search engines.

Difference between XML Sitemap & HTML Sitemap?

Main Difference
1. XML sitemap - for search engine
2. HTML sitemap - for user

Main  Difference in both sitemaps is
1. XML sitemap - for search engine
2. HTML sitemap - for user

Main Difference
1. XML sitemap - for search engine
2. HTML sitemap - for user

Differences:
1.HTML Sitemap contain all pages in sequence while XML Sitemap contain in Hierarchy manners.
2.HTML sitemap is more likely to assist users (people/website visitors) on the site's website directory. XML, on the other hand, assists bots or crawlers (like Google bots) to know more about the website's architecture or directory.
3.In terms of code structure:
i. HTML Sitemaps - utilizes Hypertext Markup Language as the code structure.
ii. XML Sitemaps - utilizes The extensible markup language as the code structure.