IndexNow Submit

Check IndexNow key file and sitemap

indexnow_check

Read-onlyIdempotent

Checks a site's IndexNow setup and submits nothing. Use it when the user asks whether their IndexNow key file works, which URLs would be submitted, or how to start with IndexNow, for example "is my IndexNow key set up on example.com?". Pass site and key; leave key out to get a new key and the file to publish. Returns the key file verdict with the exact fix, the sitemap found (robots.txt, index, gzip), how many URLs qualify, why others are left out, a sample, and the next step. Protocol: https://www.indexnow.org/documentation. Do not use it for a site the user does not own, or to read a site's content.

Example tool call

This call uses example arguments supplied in the tool’s input schema.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "key": "okindexnow20261005",
      "site": "tools.openkrill.app"
    },
    "name": "indexnow_check"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`key`	No	The site's IndexNow key, 8 to 128 letters, digits or dashes. Leave it out to get a new key and the exact file to publish.
`site`	Yes	The site's domain or address, such as example.com or https://www.example.com. A bare domain means https. One host per call: www.example.com and example.com are different hosts.
`urls`	No	Optional list of URLs to send instead of the sitemap, all on the site's host. At most 10,000.
`batch`	No	Optional, default 1. When more URLs qualify than one submit takes, batch 2 is the next slice of the newest-first list, and so on; urls.batches says how many there are.
`sitemap`	No	Optional sitemap or sitemap index address. Without it the Sitemap lines of robots.txt are used, then /sitemap.xml, /sitemap_index.xml and /wp-sitemap.xml. Gzip files work.
`max_urls`	No	Optional URLs per submit, default 10,000. When more URLs qualify, the newest lastmod goes first and the rest wait for the next batch.
`path_prefix`	No	Optional path start, such as /blog/. Only URLs under it.
`key_location`	No	Optional https address of the key file when it is not at /<key>.txt. It must be on the same host and end in .txt; it then covers only URLs in its folder and below.
`changed_since`	No	Optional YYYY-MM-DD. Only sitemap URLs whose lastmod is on or after this day; URLs with no lastmod are left out.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`host`	Yes
`site`	Yes
`urls`	Yes
`as_of`	Yes	ISO 8601 time the data was published by its source or fetched from it. A cached answer keeps the time of its fetch.
`ready`	Yes
`source`	Yes	Who the data comes from, to cite and to check it against.
`engines`	Yes
`new_key`	Yes
`sitemap`	Yes
`key_file`	Yes
`protocol`	Yes
`url_list`	No
`next_step`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed2 schema fields changedNov 7, 2026

removedOutput schema / properties / ad_line

Removed value: -{
-  "type": "string"
-}

changedOutput schema / required

Previous value: -[
-  "site",
-  "host",
-  "ready",
-  "key_file",
-  "new_key",
-  "sitemap",
-  "urls",
-  "engines",
-  "next_step",
-  "protocol",
-  "ad_line",
-  "as_of",
-  "source"
-]New value: +[
+  "site",
+  "host",
+  "ready",
+  "key_file",
+  "new_key",
+  "sitemap",
+  "urls",
+  "engines",
+  "next_step",
+  "protocol",
+  "as_of",
+  "source"
+]

Changed3 schema fields changedOct 19, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / as_of / description

Added value: +"ISO 8601 time the data was published by its source or fetched from it. A cached answer keeps the time of its fetch."

addedOutput schema / properties / source

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Who the data comes from, to cite and to check it against.",
+  "properties": {
+    "name": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "url": {
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "name",
+    "url"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

changedOutput schema / required

Previous value: -[
-  "site",
-  "host",
-  "ready",
-  "key_file",
-  "new_key",
-  "sitemap",
-  "urls",
-  "engines",
-  "next_step",
-  "protocol",
-  "ad_line",
-  "as_of"
-]New value: +[
+  "site",
+  "host",
+  "ready",
+  "key_file",
+  "new_key",
+  "sitemap",
+  "urls",
+  "engines",
+  "next_step",
+  "protocol",
+  "ad_line",
+  "as_of",
+  "source"
+]

First observedOct 16, 2026

TDQS

A4.6/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnly/openWorld/idempotent, but the description adds the key behavioral fact that this performs no submission, and that omitting key yields a new key plus the file to publish. It also discloses what the response contains (verdict with exact fix, sitemap discovery order, exclusion reasons) and links the protocol. Minor redundancy with the output schema keeps it from a 5.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with the core action and the negation of submission, then usage, then return shape, then exclusions — a sensible order with no filler sentences. The enumerated return contents overlap the output schema and could be trimmed slightly.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a 9-parameter tool with an output schema, an agent gets purpose, triggers, exclusions, the key-omission branch, and a protocol reference — everything needed to call it correctly. Return value detail is covered by the output schema, so no gap remains.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so baseline is 3, but the description adds cross-parameter meaning the schema states only piecemeal: pass site and key, or omit key to get a new key and file to publish. It still leaves the interactions among batch, max_urls and urls to the schema's own wording.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

"Checks a site's IndexNow setup and submits nothing" names the specific verb and resource and immediately negates the sibling indexnow_submit's action, so an agent can separate the two without opening either schema. The scope (key file + sitemap qualification) is concrete rather than generic.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Gives explicit triggers ("whether their IndexNow key file works, which URLs would be submitted, or how to start with IndexNow") with a quoted example utterance, plus explicit exclusions ("Do not use it for a site the user does not own, or to read a site's content"). The routing to indexnow_submit is implied strongly by "submits nothing".

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All IndexNow Submit tools Inspect

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