Googlebot
Google's web crawler that discovers and downloads web pages to add them to Google's search index.
Googlebot is Google's web crawling bot (also known as a spider) that discovers and downloads web pages across the internet. It's the primary way Google finds and adds new content to its search index.
There are actually multiple versions of Googlebot, including Googlebot Desktop (which crawls with a desktop user agent) and Googlebot Smartphone (which crawls with a mobile user agent). Since Google's move to mobile-first indexing, the smartphone version is now the primary crawler for most sites.
Googlebot discovers pages through various methods: following links from known pages, reading XML sitemaps submitted through Google Search Console, and through direct URL submissions. It respects robots.txt files and crawl-delay directives to avoid overwhelming websites with requests.
Understanding how Googlebot works is crucial for SEO success. You need to ensure your important pages are crawlable, your robots.txt file isn't blocking important content, your site loads quickly, and you're using proper status codes. Monitoring Googlebot activity through Google Search Console helps you optimize your site's crawlability.