Sitemap & Navigation

Configure intelligent navigation so the AI can navigate your application on behalf of users.

Overview

The sitemap tells the AI:

• What pages exist in your application
• How to navigate to them (URL patterns)
• How to resolve dynamic URLs (e.g., converting "John's profile" → /employees/emp_123/profile)

Why Not Hardcode URLs?

Problem: AI doesn't know valid paths or how to find IDs

User: "Open John's employee profile" ❌ AI: "I don't know John's employee ID or the URL pattern"

Solution: Sitemap + placeholder resolvers

User: "Open John's employee profile" ✅ AI:

1. Calls get_sitemap → finds /employees/{employeeId}/profile
2. Sees {employeeId} needs resolution via search_employees tool
3. Calls search_employees with "John" → gets emp_123
4. Constructs /employees/emp_123/profile
5. Calls navigate tool

Core Concepts

Sitemap Entries

Each entry defines a navigable page:

Field	Description	Example
pathPattern	URL pattern with placeholders	/products/{productId}/details
displayName	Human-readable name for AI	"Product Details Page"
category	Group pages	"products", "admin", "reports"
description	Context for AI	"Shows detailed product information"
placeholders	How to resolve dynamic parts	See below

Placeholder Resolvers

For dynamic URLs like /products/{productId}, you define how the AI should find the ID:

{
  "name": "productId",
  "description": "Unique product identifier",
  "resolver": {
    "toolName": "search_products",
    "inputMapping": { "param": "query" },
    "outputPath": "results[0].id"
  },
  "searchHint": "Search by product name or SKU",
  "examples": ["24/7 package", "SKU-12345", "premium hosting"]
}

How it works:

1. User: "Open the 24/7 package details"
2. AI calls search_products(query: "24/7 package")
3. AI gets response: { results: [{ id: "prod_abc", name: "24/7 Package" }] }
4. AI extracts ID using outputPath: results[0].id → "prod_abc"
5. AI constructs URL: /products/prod_abc/details
6. AI navigates

Hierarchical Structure

Pages can have parent/child relationships:

- Dashboard (/)
  - Analytics (/analytics)
    - Sales Report (/analytics/sales)
    - User Report (/analytics/users)
  - Settings (/settings)

Setting Up Navigation

Static Pages (No Placeholders)

Simple pages with fixed URLs:

POST /admin/assistants/{assistantId}/sitemap
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "assistantInfoId": "ast_abc123",
  "pathPattern": "/dashboard",
  "displayName": "Main Dashboard",
  "category": "navigation",
  "description": "Overview of key metrics and recent activity"
}

Dynamic Pages (With Placeholders)

Pages with variable URL segments:

POST /admin/assistants/{assistantId}/sitemap
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "assistantInfoId": "ast_abc123",
  "pathPattern": "/employees/{employeeId}/profile",
  "displayName": "Employee Profile",
  "category": "employees",
  "description": "Detailed employee information and history",
  "placeholders": [
    {
      "name": "employeeId",
      "description": "Unique employee identifier",
      "resolver": {
        "toolName": "search_employees",
        "inputMapping": { "param": "query" },
        "outputPath": "results[0].id"
      },
      "searchHint": "Search by name, email, or employee ID",
      "examples": ["John Doe", "[email protected]", "EMP-12345"]
    }
  ]
}

Via MCP Admin Server (Natural Language)

With Claude Desktop + MCP Admin Server:

Add static page:

Add a sitemap entry for the dashboard at path /dashboard

Create a sitemap entry for the settings page at /settings with category "admin"

Add dynamic page:

Add a sitemap entry for employee profiles at /employees/{employeeId}/profile

Configure the employeeId placeholder to use the search_employees tool with parameter "query" and extract the ID from results[0].id

List sitemap:

Show me all sitemap entries

What navigation paths are configured for products?

Navigation Flow

How AI Navigates

User: "Open John's profile"
    ↓
AI calls get_sitemap(search: "profile")
    ↓
Finds: /employees/{employeeId}/profile
    ↓
Sees placeholder needs resolution
    ↓
Resolver says: call search_employees(query: "John")
    ↓
Gets results: [{ id: "emp_123", name: "John Doe" }]
    ↓
Extracts ID using outputPath: results[0].id → "emp_123"
    ↓
Constructs URL: /employees/emp_123/profile
    ↓
Calls navigate("/employees/emp_123/profile")
    ↓
User is taken to John's profile

Disambiguation

When search returns multiple results:

User: "Open John's profile"
AI calls search_employees("John")
Results: [
  { id: "emp_123", name: "John Doe", dept: "Engineering" },
  { id: "emp_456", name: "John Smith", dept: "Sales" }
]

AI asks user:
"I found multiple employees named John. Which one would you like?
1. John Doe (Engineering)
2. John Smith (Sales)"

User selects: 1

AI uses emp_123 and navigates to /employees/emp_123/profile

Categories & Hierarchy

Categories

Group related pages for better organization:

# Products category
POST /admin/assistants/{assistantId}/sitemap
{
  "pathPattern": "/products",
  "displayName": "Product List",
  "category": "products"
}

{
  "pathPattern": "/products/{productId}/details",
  "displayName": "Product Details",
  "category": "products"
}

# Admin category
{
  "pathPattern": "/admin/users",
  "displayName": "User Management",
  "category": "admin"
}

Query by category:

GET /admin/assistants/{assistantId}/sitemap?category=products

Parent/Child Hierarchy

Build navigation trees:

# Parent: Dashboard
POST /admin/assistants/{assistantId}/sitemap
{
  "pathPattern": "/",
  "displayName": "Dashboard",
  "sortOrder": 0
}
# Returns: { "id": "entry_dashboard_123" }

# Child: Analytics
{
  "pathPattern": "/analytics",
  "displayName": "Analytics",
  "parentId": "entry_dashboard_123",  # Link to parent
  "sortOrder": 1
}

# Grandchild: Sales Report
{
  "pathPattern": "/analytics/sales",
  "displayName": "Sales Report",
  "parentId": "entry_analytics_456",  # Link to Analytics
  "sortOrder": 0
}

Get hierarchical view:

GET /admin/assistants/{assistantId}/sitemap?hierarchical=true

Validating Configuration

Extract Placeholders from Path

Before configuring resolvers, see what placeholders exist:

POST /admin/assistants/{assistantId}/sitemap/extract-placeholders
{
  "pathPattern": "/products/{productId}/reviews/{reviewId}"
}

# Response
{
  "placeholders": ["productId", "reviewId"],
  "pathPattern": "/products/{productId}/reviews/{reviewId}",
  "count": 2
}

Validate Placeholder Configurations

Check if resolver tools exist and are configured correctly:

POST /admin/assistants/{assistantId}/sitemap/validate-placeholders
{
  "assistantId": "ast_abc123",
  "placeholders": [
    {
      "name": "productId",
      "resolver": {
        "toolName": "search_products",
        "inputMapping": { "param": "query" },
        "outputPath": "results[0].id"
      }
    }
  ]
}

# Response
{
  "valid": true,
  "errors": [],
  "warnings": [
    {
      "placeholderName": "productId",
      "field": "outputPath",
      "message": "Cannot verify outputPath without test data. Ensure search_products returns results with id field.",
      "severity": "warning"
    }
  ]
}

Get Available Tools

See which MCP tools you can use in resolvers:

GET /admin/assistants/{assistantId}/sitemap/available-tools

# Response
{
  "tools": [
    {
      "name": "search_employees",
      "description": "Search for employees by name, email, or ID",
      "serverName": "hr-system-mcp",
      "inputSchema": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
          "query": { "type": "string" }
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "search_products",
      "description": "Search products by name, SKU, or category",
      "serverName": "product-mcp",
      "inputSchema": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
          "query": { "type": "string" },
          "category": { "type": "string" }
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

Configuration Examples

Product Catalog

{
  "pathPattern": "/products/{productId}/details",
  "displayName": "Product Details",
  "category": "products",
  "description": "View detailed product information, pricing, and specifications",
  "placeholders": [
    {
      "name": "productId",
      "description": "Product ID or SKU",
      "resolver": {
        "toolName": "search_products",
        "inputMapping": { "param": "query" },
        "outputPath": "results[0].id"
      },
      "searchHint": "Search by product name, SKU, or category",
      "examples": ["24/7 hosting", "SKU-12345", "premium package"]
    }
  ]
}

Customer Support

{
  "pathPattern": "/support/tickets/{ticketId}",
  "displayName": "Support Ticket",
  "category": "support",
  "description": "View and manage customer support tickets",
  "placeholders": [
    {
      "name": "ticketId",
      "description": "Support ticket number",
      "resolver": {
        "toolName": "search_tickets",
        "inputMapping": { "param": "query" },
        "outputPath": "tickets[0].ticketId"
      },
      "searchHint": "Search by ticket number, customer name, or issue description",
      "examples": ["TKT-12345", "John's refund request", "login issue"]
    }
  ]
}

Multi-Level Navigation

{
  "pathPattern": "/projects/{projectId}/tasks/{taskId}",
  "displayName": "Project Task",
  "category": "projects",
  "description": "View and edit project task details",
  "placeholders": [
    {
      "name": "projectId",
      "description": "Project identifier",
      "resolver": {
        "toolName": "search_projects",
        "inputMapping": { "param": "projectName" },
        "outputPath": "projects[0].id"
      },
      "searchHint": "Search by project name or code"
    },
    {
      "name": "taskId",
      "description": "Task identifier within the project",
      "resolver": {
        "toolName": "search_tasks",
        "inputMapping": { "param": "taskQuery" },
        "outputPath": "tasks[0].id"
      },
      "searchHint": "Search by task title or ID"
    }
  ]
}

Best Practices

1. Use Descriptive Display Names

AI reads these to understand where it can navigate:

Good:

• "Employee Profile Page"
• "Product Details and Reviews"
• "Customer Order History"

Bad:

• "Page 1"
• "Employee"
• "Details"

2. Add Search Hints

Help AI understand how to query the resolver tool:

{
  "searchHint": "Search by name, email, or employee ID number"
}

3. Provide Examples

Show AI what good queries look like:

{
  "examples": [
    "John Doe",
    "[email protected]",
    "EMP-12345",
    "engineering department"
  ]
}

4. Group with Categories

Organize by functional area:

• products - Product catalog pages
• customers - Customer management
• admin - Administrative functions
• reports - Analytics and reporting
• settings - Configuration pages

5. Keep Path Patterns RESTful

Follow REST conventions:

Good:

• /products/{productId}
• /users/{userId}/orders/{orderId}
• /reports/sales

Bad:

• /product?id={productId} (query params not supported)
• /getProduct/{id} (not RESTful)

6. Test End-to-End

After configuring:

1. Ask AI: "What pages can you navigate to?"
2. Try: "Open [specific item]'s page"
3. Verify AI calls correct resolver
4. Check final URL is correct
5. Confirm navigation works

7. Handle Ambiguity

If your resolver might return multiple results:

• Return enough metadata for disambiguation
• AI will ask user to choose
• User selects, then AI navigates

Example resolver output:

{
  "results": [
    { "id": "emp_123", "name": "John Doe", "dept": "Engineering", "email": "[email protected]" },
    { "id": "emp_456", "name": "John Smith", "dept": "Sales", "email": "[email protected]" }
  ]
}

AI can show: "Which John? 1. John Doe (Engineering) or 2. John Smith (Sales)"

Troubleshooting

AI Shows "UNKNOWN_PATH" Error

Symptoms: AI says "I don't know how to navigate to that page"

Cause: AI didn't call get_sitemap to discover paths

Solutions:

1. Check AI system prompt includes navigation instructions
2. Verify sitemap entries exist (GET /sitemap)
3. Check displayName matches what user is asking for
4. Add more specific description to help AI understand

AI Shows "UNRESOLVED_PLACEHOLDER" Error

Symptoms: AI finds the path but can't fill in the placeholder

Cause: AI skipped calling the resolver tool

Solutions:

1. Verify resolver toolName matches actual MCP tool
2. Check searchHint provides clear guidance
3. Ensure inputMapping.param matches tool's parameter name
4. Test resolver tool directly to confirm it works

Wrong Page Opened

Symptoms: AI navigates to wrong item (wrong ID)

Cause: outputPath extraction is incorrect

Solutions:

1. Check resolver tool's actual response structure
2. Verify outputPath JSONPath is correct
3. Test: results[0].id vs data.id vs items[0].productId
4. Call resolver tool manually to see response format

AI Can't Find Page Even Though It Exists

Symptoms: User asks for a page, AI says it doesn't exist

Cause: displayName or description doesn't match user's language

Solutions:

1. Add more descriptive displayName: "Employee Profile" → "Employee Profile and Information Page"
2. Add helpful description: "View employee details, contact info, and employment history"
3. Use common terminology: If users say "customer" not "client", use "customer" in display names
4. Add multiple sitemap entries for the same path with different display names (if needed)

API Reference

Method	Endpoint	Description
POST	/admin/assistants/{id}/sitemap	Create sitemap entry
GET	/admin/assistants/{id}/sitemap	List entries (supports filters)
GET	/admin/assistants/{id}/sitemap/{entryId}	Get specific entry
PATCH	/admin/assistants/{id}/sitemap/{entryId}	Update entry
DELETE	/admin/assistants/{id}/sitemap/{entryId}	Delete entry
POST	/admin/assistants/{id}/sitemap/extract-placeholders	Extract placeholders from path
POST	/admin/assistants/{id}/sitemap/validate-placeholders	Validate resolver configs
GET	/admin/assistants/{id}/sitemap/available-tools	List available MCP tools

Sitemap Entry Fields

Field	Type	Required	Description
pathPattern	string	Yes	URL pattern with {placeholders}
displayName	string	Yes	Human-readable page name
description	string	No	Context about the page
category	string	No	Group pages (products, admin, etc.)
placeholders	array	No	Resolver configs for dynamic segments
parentId	string	No	Parent entry ID for hierarchy
sortOrder	number	No	Display order (default: 0)
isActive	boolean	No	Enable/disable entry (default: true)

Placeholder Config Fields

Field	Type	Required	Description
name	string	Yes	Placeholder name (matches {name} in path)
description	string	No	What this placeholder represents
resolver.toolName	string	Yes	MCP tool to call
resolver.inputMapping.param	string	Yes	Tool parameter name
resolver.outputPath	string	Yes	JSONPath to extract ID from response
searchHint	string	No	Guide for AI on how to query
examples	string[]	No	Example search queries

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