Where to Get a List of URLs from a Website(Extracting Webpages)

SEO Tools / By

Have you ever needed to extract a list of URLs from a particular website? Whether it’s for competitor analysis, backlinks checking, or just for content inspiration, getting a comprehensive list of all the web pages can assist you in various digital marketing and SEO tasks. Fortunately, there are many tools and techniques available to help you quickly achieve this goal.

To find a list of Urls of a website all you need to do is to add /sitemap.xml after the URL and you should get a list of all of the pages on that site. You can also use web scraping tools like browse.ai depending on what you need the list for.  

Browse.ai will scrape a whole website and populate a Google sheet with every piece of data you might need so it is worth learning how to use the software.

If you are planning an SEO Heist with these URLS, then I recommend Cuppa as the articles are much cheaper when you use your own API key.

Finding URLs on a Website

Manually Exploring the Site

To find URLs on a website, you can start by manually exploring the site. This means visiting the website, exploring its pages, and noting down the URLs as you go. Focus on navigation menus, footers, and other sections of the site that contain links to different pages. Keep in mind that this method can be time-consuming, especially for larger websites with numerous pages. It’s important to be thorough, but remember that manually exploring a site might not always provide a complete list of URLs, as some pages may be hidden or not linked from the main site.

Using Sitemap

A more efficient method to find a list of URLs from a website is using the sitemap. A sitemap is a file that lists all the pages on a website, making it easy for search engines and users to discover and navigate them. There are two types of sitemaps: XML sitemaps and HTML sitemaps.

XML sitemap: This type of sitemap is primarily designed for search engines. It’s a structured XML file that lists URLs and provides additional information, such as when a page was last updated and its priority on the site. To find the XML sitemap of a website, try appending /sitemap.xml or /sitemap_index.xml to the domain in your browser’s address bar (e.g., http://example.com/sitemap.xml). If that doesn’t work, you can also check the site’s robots.txt file, which often includes a reference to the sitemap.

HTML sitemap: An HTML sitemap is a user-friendly listing of all the pages on a website, typically organized in a hierarchical structure. It’s often accessible through a link in the footer of a site or on a dedicated sitemap page. Look for links titled “Sitemap” or “Site Map” to find an HTML sitemap.

By using sitemaps, you can efficiently obtain a complete list of URLs from a website. This information will help you in understanding the structure of the site, discovering important pages, and even identifying potential issues such as broken links or orphaned pages.

Using Web Scraping Tools and Techniques

Python and BeautifulSoup

To get a list of URLs from a website using Python, you can utilize the BeautifulSoup library. First, install it with:

pip install beautifulsoup4

Next, you’ll need to import the necessary modules:

import requests
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup

Now, you can make an HTTP request to the desired website, use BeautifulSoup to parse the HTML code, and extract internal and external links. Here’s a simple example:

url = 'https://example.com'
response = requests.get(url)
soup = BeautifulSoup(response.text, 'html.parser')

internal_links = []
external_links = []

for link in soup.find_all('a', href=True):
    if link['href'].startswith(url):
        internal_links.append(link['href'])
    elif 'http' in link['href']:
        external_links.append(link['href'])

This code will give you two lists: internal_links and external_links. If you want to save the extracted links to a CSV file, you can use the csv module:

import csv

with open('links.csv', 'w', newline='') as csvfile:
    writer = csv.writer(csvfile)
    writer.writerow(['Internal Links'])
    for link in internal_links:
        writer.writerow([link])
    writer.writerow([])
    writer.writerow(['External Links'])
    for link in external_links:
        writer.writerow([link])

Wget and FTP

For simpler use cases, you can use Wget to get a list of URLs. Wget is a command-line utility that allows you to download files from the internet and save them on your computer. To extract links from an HTML file downloaded with Wget, you can use the following command:

wget -qO- https://example.com | grep -oP '(?<=href=")[^"]+(?=")'

This will provide a list of URLs found in the HTML file as plain text. If you wish to target a specific protocol such as FTP, you can use the following command:

wget -qO- https://example.com | grep -oP '(?<=href="ftp)[^"]+(?=")'

With these methods, you can efficiently extract links and navigate through websites to obtain the desired information.

Link Extractor Tools

Online Solutions

There are various online tools available that can help you extract links from a website effectively. These tools can scan and extract links from the HTML of a web page, providing useful data, including both internal and external links. Some popular link extractor tools are:

  1. Link Extractor SEO Tool: This tool serves to grab all links from a website or extract links on a specific webpage.
  2. URL Extractor Online: A 100% free SEO tool used to scan and extract links from a web page’s HTML. Useful for calculating external and internal links on your webpage.
  3. Walter Pinem Tools: Extract URLs from any website instantly for free. This tool helps create an XML Sitemap for SEO purposes and more.

Browser Extensions

In addition to online solutions, you can also opt for browser extensions that simplify the process of extracting links directly from your browser. These extensions allow you to get access to all URLs within a website or page with just a few clicks. Here are some browser extensions to consider:

  1. Link Extractor for Chrome: A user-friendly extension for Google Chrome that automatically extracts both internal and external links from a web page.
  2. Mozilla’s URL Extractor Add-on: An easy-to-use add-on for Mozilla Firefox, which provides the convenience of extracting links directly within the browser.

Remember to select a link extractor tool or browser extension that suits your needs and makes the process of obtaining links from websites both simple and hassle-free. Happy link extracting!

Filtering and Sorting URLs

Internal and External Links

When looking to obtain a list of URLs from a website, you need to consider both internal and external links. Internal links connect different pages within the same website, while external links point to pages on other websites. To filter and sort these links effectively, you can use various tools and techniques, such as web crawlers or sitemaps.

By filtering URLs, you can set limits on the number and type of links you retrieve, ensuring that you only collect the most relevant information. For example, you may want to focus solely on internal links to analyze your website’s structure or just external links to identify potential link-building opportunities.

Anchor Text and Attributes

Anchor text is the visible, clickable text of a link, which plays a critical role in helping users understand the content of the linked page. It’s essential to pay attention to anchor text when collecting URLs, as it provides valuable context for each link.

Some common attributes found in links include:

  • rel=”nofollow”: Indicates that the linked page should not be followed or indexed by search engines, helping you filter out less important links.
  • rel=”sponsored”: Used for paid or sponsored links, which may require separate analysis.
  • target=”_blank”: Specifies that the linked page should open in a new window or tab, so users won’t navigate away from the current page.

When sorting URLs, consider organizing them according to their anchor text or attributes to facilitate further analysis and decision-making. For instance, you might want to group URLs with a specific attribute together, such as “nofollow” links, enabling you to review and prioritize them more easily.

Working with API and Developer Tools

API for URL Extraction

APIs can be useful for extracting URLs from a website. With APIs, you can access specific features or functionality provided by a service, so they offer a structured way to interact with websites and gather the information you need. If a website has a public API, it makes extracting URLs straightforward. Look for a website’s API documentation, often found in the “Developers” or “API” section of the site. To work with APIs, you will typically need to register for an API key and follow the usage guidelines provided.

Browser Developer Tools

Another option to obtain a list of URLs from a website is using browser developer tools. Here’s how you can do that with some popular browsers:

  • Google Chrome: Press Ctrl + Shift + I on your keyboard to open the Developer Tools. Then, click on the “Network” tab.
  • Microsoft Edge: Right-click on an item in the webpage, and then select “Inspect” to open the Developer Tools.

In both cases, you can view all network traffic or filter it. For example, AJAX requests, which often contain a list of URLs, generally show up under XHR (XmlHttpRequest). You can also see the full URLs of the requests by right-clicking the columns in the network tab and selecting either “URL” or “Path”.

By exploring API and Developer Tools, you can effectively extract URLs from a website and make the most of available resources. It’s essential to use these tools respectfully and abide by the website’s guidelines or terms of service. Happy URL hunting!

Analyzing and Reporting URLs

Status Codes and Redirects

When working with URLs, it’s essential to monitor and understand status codes and redirects. Status codes, like 301 and 302, indicate HTTP responses and how your website handles URL requests. A 301 status code represents a permanent redirect, while a 302 status code signifies a temporary one.

To check status codes, you can use tools such as:

  • Online status code checkers
  • Browser extensions
  • Website crawlers

You should look for:

  • Successful status codes (e.g., 200)
  • Client errors (e.g., 404)
  • Server errors (e.g., 500)
  • Redirects (e.g., 301 and 302)

By analyzing these codes, you can identify and fix issues on your website, improving the user experience and even search engine optimization (SEO) standings.

Tracking and Reporting

Once you’ve gathered status code and redirect information, it’s essential to track and report on these metrics regularly. To maintain a well-functioning website, consistently monitor URL performance.

Ways to track and report on URLs include:

  • Using Google Analytics for traffic and user behavior data
  • Analyzing server log files to uncover crawl issues and errors
  • Creating custom dashboards that report on your URL health metrics
  • Comparing data overtime to spot trends and opportunities for improvement

Make sure to set up a routine for tracking and reporting. This involves regularly auditing your URLs, updating your list of URLs from your website, and providing actionable insights for your team. While it requires some effort, this process is crucial to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for your website’s visitors.

Exporting and Storing URL Lists

When you want to get a list of URLs from a website, there are various ways to export and store them. The two main methods we will cover in this section are exporting to CSV and Excel, and storing in databases.

Exporting to CSV and Excel

By exporting a URL list to CSV (Comma-separated values) or Excel files, you can easily read, organize, and manipulate the data. One simple way to do this is by using an online sitemap generator, such as xml-sitemaps.com. Follow these steps:

  1. Enter the website’s URL in the generator.
  2. Wait for the generator to crawl the website and create a sitemap.
  3. Instead of downloading the sitemap, open it and copy the list of URLs.
  4. Paste the URLs into a spreadsheet program like Excel or Google Sheets.

Note: For Excel users, you might want to use the “Text to Columns” feature to separate the URLs into their respective fields.

This method allows you to have a well-organized CSV or Excel file containing the URLs, which you can use for further analysis or manipulation.

Storing in Databases

Another option is to store the URL list in a database for better organization, searchability, and scalability. You can use various programming languages like Python for this task. Here’s a general idea of the process:

  1. Write a script to extract URLs from the target website (libraries like Beautiful Soup or Scrapy can help with this).
  2. Set up a connection to your database (MySQL, MongoDB, etc.).
  3. Create a table or schema for storing the URL data.
  4. Write the extracted URLs into the database using SQL commands or your database’s API.

By storing URL lists in a database, you can take advantage of powerful querying capabilities and the flexibility to connect with other applications or platforms.

Remember to follow best practices for both exporting and storing URL lists, including data privacy regulations and website owner permissions. Keeping data organized and easily accessible makes it simpler for you to analyze and manage website URLs.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Handling Large Amount of Data

When trying to extract a list of URLs from a website, one challenge you may face is dealing with a large amount of data. This can cause your tools or algorithms to slow down or even crash. To address this, consider breaking your task into smaller, manageable chunks. For example, you can start by scanning only specific sections of the website and compiling the URLs from there. Then, repeat the process for other sections and combine the results at the end.

Performance

Performance is another aspect that may need your attention when working with URL extraction. As a website grows, the sheer number of pages to scan can have an impact on the performance of your methods. To make sure you don’t run into any performance bottlenecks:

  • Use a well-optimized algorithm or tool that can efficiently handle the workload.
  • Optimize your own code, making sure it’s free of unnecessary loops or redundant operations.
  • Leverage the power of multi-threading or parallel processing if your tools support it.

Error Handling

Dealing with errors and unexpected situations is crucial when extracting a list of URLs from a website. Some common issues you may encounter include:

  • Missing or incomplete sitemap files
  • Broken links causing connectivity issues
  • Encountering a limit on the number of pages you can scan

To handle these cases:

  1. Develop a solid error handling strategy. Catch exceptions, log relevant information, and retry failed operations when appropriate.
  2. Set a limit on the depth of your search, avoiding endless loops in case of broken links or circular references.
  3. Regularly monitor and review the error logs of your tool or algorithm, adjusting your approach as needed to resolve any ongoing issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I extract all URLs from a site using Python?

To extract all URLs from a site using Python, you can use the requests, BeautifulSoup, and re libraries. First, make a request to the target website using the requests.get method and obtain the HTML content. Next, parse the HTML using BeautifulSoup and search for a tags with href attributes. Use the re library to extract URLs from href attributes, and add them to a list.

What tools can I use to get a list of URLs on a website?

There are several tools available to help you get a list of URLs on a website, including:

  1. Sitemap Generators – Use tools like XML Sitemaps to generate a sitemap containing all URLs.
  2. Web crawlers – Tools like Screaming Frog and Xenu’s Link Sleuth can crawl your site and provide a comprehensive list of URLs.

How can I find all web pages on a site using Google?

To find all web pages on a site using Google, use the “site:” search operator followed by your domain name, like this: site:example.com. This will display all indexed pages from the specified domain.

Is there a way to collect URLs from a website using JavaScript?

Yes, you can collect URLs from a website using JavaScript. You can create a script that iterates through all the a tags on the web page and collects the href attribute values. Then, store these URLs in an array for further processing or export.

How do I scrape links from a web page?

To scrape links from a web page, you can use several techniques depending on your preferred programming language. For instance, in Python, you can use BeautifulSoup and requests to extract URLs. In JavaScript, you can use the DOM manipulation methods to access a tags and their href attributes.

Which online tool can help me obtain all URLs from a website?

There are many online tools available to help you obtain all URLs on a website. One popular choice is the XML Sitemaps Generator, which provides you with a list of URLs in text or sitemap format. Additionally, web crawlers like Screaming Frog’s SEO Spider have online versions that can assist you in obtaining all URLs from a site.

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