diff --git a/.specify/memory/constitution.md b/.specify/memory/constitution.md
index aaf2ffe..b4aa0fe 100644
--- a/.specify/memory/constitution.md
+++ b/.specify/memory/constitution.md
@@ -1,5 +1,39 @@
 <!--
 Sync Impact Report:
+Version: 1.16.0 → 1.17.0 (MINOR: Helper functions extraction pattern)
+Modified Principles:
+  - Section I: Updated to allow helper functions in src/globalVariables/helpers.js
+  - Section I.II: Added helpers.js to allowed files list
+  - Section I.V: Added helpers object to global context injection
+  - New Pattern: Pure utility functions can be extracted to helpers.js and loaded via vm.Script
+Architecture Changes:
+  - Created src/globalVariables/helpers.js (315 lines)
+  - Extracted 11 helper functions from proxy.js
+  - Reduced proxy.js from 752 to 493 lines (35% reduction)
+  - Helper functions loaded via vm.Script and injected as 'helpers' global object
+  - proxy.js now uses helpers.functionName() pattern
+Code Changes:
+  - Created: src/globalVariables/helpers.js with IIFE returning helpers object
+  - Modified: src/proxyScripts/proxy.js to use helpers object
+  - Extracted: generateRequestId, validateDocumentId, validateDocumentCount, escapeXml,
+              mapDriveErrorToHttp, toSitemapEntry, transformDocumentsToSitemapEntries,
+              generateSitemapXML, generateSitemap, parseRoute, DocumentCountExceededError
+Modified Sections:
+  - Section I: Core monolithic architecture principle (added helpers exception)
+  - Section I.I: What must be in proxy.js (clarified helpers can be external)
+  - Section I.II: What can be separate files (added helpers.js)
+  - Section I.V: Global objects injection (added helpers object documentation)
+Rationale:
+  - Improves code organization while maintaining vm.Script isolation
+  - Pure utility functions don't need to be monolithic
+  - Business logic and authentication remain in proxy.js
+  - Helper pattern maintains zero-import architecture
+Templates Status:
+  ✅ All templates - No changes needed (helper pattern is optional optimization)
+Follow-up TODOs:
+  - Update server.js to load helpers.js via vm.Script
+  - Add helpers object to globalVariableContext
+Previous Version:
 Version: 1.15.0 → 1.16.0 (PATCH: Directory relocation and documentation update)
 Modified Principles:
   - Section I: Updated all references to global/ directory to src/globalVariables/
@@ -77,11 +111,12 @@ Follow-up TODOs:
 
 ### I. Monolithic Architecture (NON-NEGOTIABLE)
 
-**ALL business logic, data processing, authentication, and request handling MUST exist within the `src/proxyScripts/proxy.js` file.** The `server.js` file should ONLY handle:
+**ALL business logic, data processing, authentication, and request handling MUST exist within the `src/proxyScripts/proxy.js` file.** Pure utility/helper functions MAY be extracted to `src/globalVariables/helpers.js` if they improve code organization. The `server.js` file should ONLY handle:
 - HTTP server setup
 - Configuration loading
 - Global object injection into isolated context
 - Loading src/proxyScripts/proxy.js via `vm.Script` and `vm.createContext`
+- Loading src/globalVariables/helpers.js via `vm.Script` (optional)
 - Per-request context creation with all necessary globals
 
 **Implementation via vm.Script**:
@@ -93,6 +128,13 @@ Follow-up TODOs:
 
 **Rationale**: Monolithic architecture enables simple packaging as a single IVA Studio proxy script and prevents fragmentation of business logic across multiple files. Using `vm.Script` enforces architectural boundaries at runtime, making it impossible for `src/proxyScripts/proxy.js` to access Node.js module system or file system, ensuring ALL functionality exists in one isolated, dependency-injected file.
 
+**Helper Functions Pattern**: Pure utility functions (XML escaping, validation, formatting, routing) MAY be extracted to `src/globalVariables/helpers.js` to improve readability and maintainability. The helpers module:
+- MUST be loaded via `vm.Script` (same isolation as proxy.js)
+- MUST return a single object with all helper functions
+- MUST have ZERO imports/exports
+- Is injected as `helpers` global object into VM context
+- Contains ONLY pure utilities, NO business logic or state
+
 ### I. Zero External Imports or Exports from `src/proxyScripts/proxy.js` (NON-NEGOTIABLE)
 
 `src/proxyScripts/proxy.js` MUST have **ZERO import statements**. All dependencies MUST be provided through `vm.createContext` by server.js.
@@ -129,17 +171,21 @@ Follow-up TODOs:
 
 #### I.I What MUST Be in src/proxyScripts/proxy.js
 
-The following MUST be implemented as inline functions within `src/proxyScripts/proxy.js`:
+The following MUST be implemented in `src/proxyScripts/proxy.js` (or extracted to helpers.js if pure utilities):
 
-1. **Authentication**: Service Account JWT, OAuth flows, token management
-2. **Business Logic**: All request handling, routing, and processing
-3. **Data Transformation**: Document parsing, XML generation, data mapping
-4. **API Integration**: Drive API queries, error mapping, response handling
-5. **Request Queue**: FIFO queue for sequential processing
-6. **Utility Functions**: Request ID generation, validation, XML escaping, date formatting
-7. **Error Handling**: All error mapping and HTTP status code logic
+1. **Authentication**: Service Account JWT, OAuth flows, token management (MUST be in proxy.js)
+2. **Business Logic**: All request handling, routing, and processing (MUST be in proxy.js)
+3. **Data Transformation**: Document parsing, XML generation, data mapping (MUST be in proxy.js or helpers.js)
+4. **API Integration**: Drive API queries, error mapping, response handling (MUST be in proxy.js)
+5. **Request Queue**: FIFO queue for sequential processing (MUST be in proxy.js)
+6. **Utility Functions**: Request ID generation, validation, XML escaping, date formatting (MAY be in helpers.js)
+7. **Error Handling**: All error mapping and HTTP status code logic (MAY be in helpers.js)
 
-**NO EXCEPTIONS** - Even complex authentication (OAuth 2.0, JWT) must be inline.
+**Helper Extraction Guidelines**:
+- ✅ **CAN extract**: Pure functions, validators, formatters, XML utilities, error mappers, route parsers
+- ❌ **MUST NOT extract**: Authentication, API calls, request queue, cached state, business decisions
+
+**NO EXCEPTIONS for business logic** - Even complex authentication (OAuth 2.0, JWT) must be in proxy.js.
 
 #### I.II What Can Be Separate Files
 
@@ -148,7 +194,9 @@ ONLY the following infrastructure modules may exist outside `src/proxyScripts/pr
 1. **src/logger.js**: Structured logging with console replacement (ONLY logging, no business logic)
 2. **src/server.js**: HTTP server bootstrap and configuration (ONLY server setup, no business logic)
 3. **config/**: JSON configuration files (data files, not code)
-4. **src/globalVariables/**: JSON data files loaded at startup (credentials, settings)
+4. **src/globalVariables/**: JSON data files AND helpers.js module
+   - `*.json`: Runtime data loaded at startup (credentials, settings)
+   - `helpers.js`: Pure utility functions loaded via vm.Script (OPTIONAL)
 5. **src/proxyScripts/**: Directory containing the main proxy script (proxy.js)
 
 **Test files are exempt** - Test utilities may exist solely for test compatibility if needed, but MUST NOT be imported by production code.
@@ -157,23 +205,34 @@ ONLY the following infrastructure modules may exist outside `src/proxyScripts/pr
 ```
 src/
 ├── proxyScripts/
-│   └── proxy.js          # Main business logic (monolithic)
+│   └── proxy.js          # Main business logic (authentication, API, queue)
 ├── globalVariables/
-│   └── *.json            # Data files for VM context
+│   ├── *.json            # Data files for VM context
+│   └── helpers.js        # Pure utility functions (OPTIONAL)
 ├── logger.js             # Structured logging
 └── server.js             # HTTP server bootstrap
 config/
 └── default.json          # Infrastructure settings
 ```
 
+**helpers.js Pattern**:
+- MUST be loaded using `vm.Script` (same isolation as proxy.js)
+- MUST return single object with all helper functions via IIFE
+- MUST have ZERO imports/exports (pure vm.Script execution)
+- Injected as `helpers` global object into VM context
+- Contains ONLY pure utilities: validators, formatters, XML, error mappers
+- MUST NOT contain: authentication, API calls, state, business decisions
+
 #### I.III Enforcement
 
 During code review and planning:
 - ANY file in `src/proxyScripts/` besides `proxy.js` MUST be challenged
-- ANY file in `src/` besides `proxyScripts/`, `logger.js`, `server.js` MUST be challenged
-- Authentication, even if complex, MUST be inline in `src/proxyScripts/proxy.js`
+- ANY file in `src/globalVariables/` besides `helpers.js` and `*.json` MUST be challenged
+- ANY file in `src/` besides `proxyScripts/`, `globalVariables/`, `logger.js`, `server.js` MUST be challenged
+- Authentication, even if complex, MUST be in `src/proxyScripts/proxy.js` (never in helpers.js)
+- Business logic MUST be in `src/proxyScripts/proxy.js` (never in helpers.js)
 - Exceptions require explicit constitutional justification with measurable trade-offs
-- When in doubt, inline it in `src/proxyScripts/proxy.js`
+- When in doubt about helpers extraction, keep it in `src/proxyScripts/proxy.js`
 
 **RED FLAGS to reject immediately:**
 - Separate files for: auth, database, utilities, helpers, services, controllers, models
@@ -212,10 +271,19 @@ const globalVMContext = {
 // Load dynamic data from src/globalVariables/ directory into globalVariableContext
 let globalVariableContext = {};  // Populated by loadGlobalObjects()
 
+// Load helpers module via vm.Script
+const helpersScript = new vm.Script(fs.readFileSync('./src/globalVariables/helpers.js', 'utf8'));
+const helpersContext = vm.createContext({
+  crypto,
+  console: logger
+});
+const helpers = helpersScript.runInContext(helpersContext);
+
 // Per-request: Create fresh context with all dependencies
 const context = vm.createContext({
   ...globalVMContext,           // Spread static dependencies
   ...globalVariableContext,     // Spread dynamic data (e.g., google_drive_settings)
+  helpers,                      // Helpers object with utility functions
   req,                          // Fresh request object
   res                           // Fresh response object
 });
@@ -288,8 +356,30 @@ script.runInContext(context);
     - Injection: Via spread operator `...globalVariableContext` in `vm.createContext()`
     - **Note**: ALL authentication, secrets, and behavioral configuration MUST be in src/globalVariables/, NEVER in config/default.json
 
+**Helper Functions Module:**
+
+10. **helpers** - Pure utility functions object (OPTIONAL)
+    - Purpose: Extracted helper functions for code organization
+    - Source: `src/globalVariables/helpers.js` loaded via `vm.Script`
+    - Pattern: IIFE returning object with all helper functions
+    - Loading: server.js loads via `vm.Script` at startup (same as proxy.js)
+    - Injection: Direct object injection into VM context
+    - Usage in src/proxyScripts/proxy.js: `helpers.functionName()` (e.g., `helpers.generateRequestId()`)
+    - Contains: Pure utilities only (validators, formatters, XML, error mappers, route parsers)
+    - MUST NOT contain: Authentication, API calls, state, business logic
+    - Example functions:
+      - `helpers.generateRequestId()` - UUID generation
+      - `helpers.validateDocumentId(id)` - Document ID validation
+      - `helpers.escapeXml(str)` - XML character escaping
+      - `helpers.generateSitemap(docs, baseUrl)` - Sitemap generation
+      - `helpers.mapDriveErrorToHttp(error)` - Error mapping
+      - `helpers.parseRoute(method, url)` - Route parsing
+      - `helpers.DocumentCountExceededError` - Custom error class
+
 **Request/Response Objects:**
 
+11. **req** - HTTP IncomingMessage
+
 10. **req** - HTTP IncomingMessage
     - Purpose: Access request data (URL, method, headers, body)
     - Injected fresh: Per-request from `http.createServer((req, res) => ...)`
diff --git a/src/globalVariables/helpers.js b/src/globalVariables/helpers.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52daa06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/globalVariables/helpers.js
@@ -0,0 +1,315 @@
+/**
+ * Helper Functions Module for Proxy Script
+ *
+ * This module contains pure utility/helper functions extracted from proxy.js
+ * to improve code organization while maintaining vm.Script isolation pattern.
+ *
+ * ARCHITECTURE:
+ * - Loaded by server.js using vm.Script (same as proxy.js)
+ * - Returns a single object containing all helper functions
+ * - Injected into globalVariableContext for access by proxy.js
+ * - NO IMPORTS - All dependencies provided via VM context
+ *
+ * Globals expected (provided by server.js):
+ *   - crypto: Web Crypto API (for randomUUID())
+ *   - console: Custom logger
+ *
+ * @returns {Object} Helpers object with all utility functions
+ */
+
+// Wrap in IIFE that returns helpers object
+(function createHelpers() {
+  /**
+   * Custom error for document count exceeding limit
+   */
+  class DocumentCountExceededError extends Error {
+    constructor(count, limit) {
+      super(`Document count ${count} exceeds limit of ${limit}`);
+      this.name = "DocumentCountExceededError";
+      this.count = count;
+      this.limit = limit;
+      this.statusCode = 413;
+    }
+  }
+
+  // =============================================================================
+  // Utility Functions
+  // =============================================================================
+
+  /**
+   * Generate a unique request ID for tracing
+   * Uses UUID v4 for uniqueness
+   *
+   * @returns {string} Request ID in format: req_<uuid>
+   */
+  function generateRequestId() {
+    return `req_${crypto.randomUUID()}`;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Validate document ID format
+   * Google Drive IDs are alphanumeric with hyphens and underscores
+   *
+   * @param {string} id - Document ID to validate
+   * @returns {boolean} True if valid
+   */
+  function validateDocumentId(id) {
+    if (!id || typeof id !== "string") {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    // Google Drive IDs are typically 8-128 characters
+    // Characters: a-z, A-Z, 0-9, -, _
+    const pattern = /^[a-zA-Z0-9_-]{8,128}$/;
+    return pattern.test(id);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Validate document count against limit
+   *
+   * @param {number} count - Document count
+   * @param {number} limit - Maximum allowed (default: 50000)
+   * @throws {DocumentCountExceededError} If count > limit
+   */
+  function validateDocumentCount(count, limit = 50000) {
+    if (count > limit) {
+      throw new DocumentCountExceededError(count, limit);
+    }
+  }
+
+  // =============================================================================
+  // XML Utilities
+  // =============================================================================
+
+  /**
+   * Escape special XML characters
+   * Prevents XML injection and ensures valid XML output
+   *
+   * @param {string} str - String to escape
+   * @returns {string} Escaped string safe for XML
+   */
+  function escapeXml(str) {
+    if (!str) return "";
+
+    return str
+      .replace(/&/g, "&amp;")
+      .replace(/</g, "&lt;")
+      .replace(/>/g, "&gt;")
+      .replace(/"/g, "&quot;")
+      .replace(/'/g, "&apos;");
+  }
+
+  // =============================================================================
+  // Error Mapping
+  // =============================================================================
+
+  /**
+   * Map Drive API error to HTTP status code and retry info
+   *
+   * Per specification:
+   * - 429: Rate limit - include Retry-After header
+   * - 503: Service unavailable - NO RETRY (fail immediately)
+   * - 401: Authentication failed
+   * - 500: Other errors
+   *
+   * @param {Error} error - Drive API error
+   * @returns {Object} { statusCode, retryAfter? }
+   */
+  function mapDriveErrorToHttp(error) {
+    // Handle DocumentCountExceededError
+    if (error instanceof DocumentCountExceededError) {
+      return { statusCode: 413 };
+    }
+
+    // Extract status code from Drive API error
+    const statusCode = error.response?.status || error.code || 500;
+
+    // Handle rate limiting (429)
+    if (statusCode === 429) {
+      // Extract Retry-After from response headers if present
+      const retryAfter = error.response?.headers?.["retry-after"];
+      const retryAfterSeconds = retryAfter ? parseInt(retryAfter, 10) : 60;
+
+      return {
+        statusCode: 429,
+        retryAfter: retryAfterSeconds,
+      };
+    }
+
+    // Handle service unavailable (503) - NO RETRY per spec
+    if (statusCode === 503) {
+      return { statusCode: 503 };
+    }
+
+    // Handle authentication errors
+    if (statusCode === 401 || statusCode === 403) {
+      return { statusCode: statusCode };
+    }
+
+    // All other errors map to 500
+    return { statusCode: 500 };
+  }
+
+  // =============================================================================
+  // Sitemap Functions
+  // =============================================================================
+
+  /**
+   * Transform Drive document to sitemap entry
+   *
+   * Creates RESTful URL in format: {baseUrl}/documents/{documentId}
+   * Per specification clarification #2.
+   *
+   * @param {Object} document - Drive API document
+   * @param {string} document.id - Document ID
+   * @param {string} document.modifiedTime - ISO 8601 timestamp
+   * @param {string} baseUrl - Base URL for the adapter
+   * @returns {Object} Sitemap entry { loc, lastmod }
+   */
+  function toSitemapEntry(document, baseUrl) {
+    if (!document || !document.id) {
+      console.error("Invalid document for sitemap entry", { document });
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    // RESTful URL format: /documents/{documentId}
+    const loc = `${baseUrl}/documents/${encodeURIComponent(document.id)}`;
+
+    // Format lastmod as ISO 8601 date (YYYY-MM-DD)
+    let lastmod;
+    if (document.modifiedTime) {
+      try {
+        const date = new Date(document.modifiedTime);
+        lastmod = date.toISOString().split("T")[0]; // Extract YYYY-MM-DD
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.error("Invalid modifiedTime for document", {
+          documentId: document.id,
+          modifiedTime: document.modifiedTime,
+        });
+        lastmod = new Date().toISOString().split("T")[0]; // Fallback to today
+      }
+    } else {
+      lastmod = new Date().toISOString().split("T")[0]; // Fallback to today
+    }
+
+    return { loc, lastmod };
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Transform array of Drive documents to sitemap entries
+   *
+   * @param {Array<Object>} documents - Array of Drive API documents
+   * @param {string} baseUrl - Base URL for the adapter
+   * @returns {Array<Object>} Array of sitemap entries
+   */
+  function transformDocumentsToSitemapEntries(documents, baseUrl) {
+    if (!Array.isArray(documents)) {
+      console.error("Documents must be an array", { documents });
+      return [];
+    }
+
+    return documents
+      .map((doc) => toSitemapEntry(doc, baseUrl))
+      .filter((entry) => entry !== null);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Generate XML sitemap from sitemap entries
+   *
+   * Handles empty sitemap (0 documents) case - returns valid XML with empty urlset.
+   *
+   * @param {Array<Object>} sitemapEntries - Array of { loc, lastmod } objects
+   * @returns {string} Complete XML sitemap string
+   */
+  function generateSitemapXML(sitemapEntries) {
+    let xml = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>\n';
+    xml += '<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">\n';
+
+    // Handle empty sitemap - valid XML with no <url> elements
+    if (!sitemapEntries || sitemapEntries.length === 0) {
+      xml += "</urlset>";
+      return xml;
+    }
+
+    for (const entry of sitemapEntries) {
+      xml += "  <url>\n";
+      xml += `    <loc>${escapeXml(entry.loc)}</loc>\n`;
+      xml += `    <lastmod>${escapeXml(entry.lastmod)}</lastmod>\n`;
+      xml += "  </url>\n";
+    }
+
+    xml += "</urlset>";
+
+    return xml;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Main sitemap generation function
+   *
+   * Combines document transformation and XML generation.
+   *
+   * @param {Array<Object>} documents - Array of Drive API documents
+   * @param {string} baseUrl - Base URL for the adapter
+   * @returns {string} Complete XML sitemap
+   */
+  function generateSitemap(documents, baseUrl) {
+    const entries = transformDocumentsToSitemapEntries(documents, baseUrl);
+    return generateSitemapXML(entries);
+  }
+
+  // =============================================================================
+  // Route Parsing
+  // =============================================================================
+
+  /**
+   * Parse route from request
+   * @param {string} method - HTTP method
+   * @param {string} url - Request URL
+   * @returns {Object} Route info or error
+   */
+  function parseRoute(method, url) {
+    if (method !== "GET") {
+      return { route: null, error: "Method not allowed", statusCode: 405 };
+    }
+
+    const urlObj = new URL(url, "http://localhost");
+    const path = urlObj.pathname;
+
+    // Match any path containing 'sitemap.xml'
+    if (path.includes("sitemap.xml")) {
+      return { route: "sitemap" };
+    }
+
+    // All other paths return 404
+    return { route: null, error: "Not found", statusCode: 404 };
+  }
+
+  // =============================================================================
+  // Return helpers object with all functions
+  // =============================================================================
+
+  return {
+    // Error classes
+    DocumentCountExceededError,
+
+    // Utilities
+    generateRequestId,
+    validateDocumentId,
+    validateDocumentCount,
+
+    // XML
+    escapeXml,
+
+    // Error mapping
+    mapDriveErrorToHttp,
+
+    // Sitemap
+    toSitemapEntry,
+    transformDocumentsToSitemapEntries,
+    generateSitemapXML,
+    generateSitemap,
+
+    // Routing
+    parseRoute,
+  };
+})();
diff --git a/src/proxyScripts/proxy.js b/src/proxyScripts/proxy.js
index 5beda5a..5896073 100644
--- a/src/proxyScripts/proxy.js
+++ b/src/proxyScripts/proxy.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
  *   - uuidv4: UUID generator
  *   - jwt: JSON Web Token library
  *   - xmlBuilder: XML document builder
+ *   - helpers: Helper functions module (loaded from globalVariables/helpers.js)
  *   - google_drive_settings: Consolidated settings (from global/google_drive_settings.json)
  *     - serviceAccount: Service account credentials
  *     - scopes: OAuth2 scopes array
@@ -24,12 +25,9 @@
  *
  * Structure:
  *   Section 1: Authentication (Service Account JWT)
- *   Section 2: Utility Functions
- *   Section 3: XML Utilities
- *   Section 4: Request Queue (FIFO)
- *   Section 5: Drive API Client
- *   Section 6: Sitemap Generation
- *   Section 7: Request Handling & Routing
+ *   Section 2: Request Queue (FIFO)
+ *   Section 3: Drive API Client
+ *   Section 4: Request Handling & Routing
  *
  * @module proxy
  */
@@ -173,61 +171,7 @@ function clearAuthCache() {
 }
 
 // =============================================================================
-// Section 2: Utility Functions
-// =============================================================================
-
-/**
- * Generate a unique request ID for tracing
- * Uses UUID v4 for uniqueness
- *
- * @returns {string} Request ID in format: req_<uuid>
- */
-function generateRequestId() {
-  return `req_${crypto.randomUUID()}`;
-}
-
-/**
- * Validate document ID format
- * Google Drive IDs are alphanumeric with hyphens and underscores
- *
- * @param {string} id - Document ID to validate
- * @returns {boolean} True if valid
- */
-function validateDocumentId(id) {
-  if (!id || typeof id !== "string") {
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  // Google Drive IDs are typically 8-128 characters
-  // Characters: a-z, A-Z, 0-9, -, _
-  const pattern = /^[a-zA-Z0-9_-]{8,128}$/;
-  return pattern.test(id);
-}
-
-// =============================================================================
-// Section 3: XML Utilities
-// =============================================================================
-
-/**
- * Escape special XML characters
- * Prevents XML injection and ensures valid XML output
- *
- * @param {string} str - String to escape
- * @returns {string} Escaped string safe for XML
- */
-function escapeXml(str) {
-  if (!str) return "";
-
-  return str
-    .replace(/&/g, "&amp;")
-    .replace(/</g, "&lt;")
-    .replace(/>/g, "&gt;")
-    .replace(/"/g, "&quot;")
-    .replace(/'/g, "&apos;");
-}
-
-// =============================================================================
-// Section 4: Request Queue (FIFO)
+// Section 2: Request Queue (FIFO)
 // =============================================================================
 
 /**
@@ -314,22 +258,9 @@ class RequestQueue {
 const requestQueue = new RequestQueue();
 
 // =============================================================================
-// Section 5: Drive API Client
+// Section 3: Drive API Client
 // =============================================================================
 
-/**
- * Custom error for document count exceeding limit
- */
-class DocumentCountExceededError extends Error {
-  constructor(count, limit) {
-    super(`Document count ${count} exceeds limit of ${limit}`);
-    this.name = "DocumentCountExceededError";
-    this.count = count;
-    this.limit = limit;
-    this.statusCode = 413;
-  }
-}
-
 /**
  * Query documents from Google Drive with pagination
  *
@@ -405,7 +336,7 @@ async function queryDocuments(options = {}) {
           count: allFiles.length,
           limit: maxDocuments,
         });
-        throw new DocumentCountExceededError(allFiles.length, maxDocuments);
+        throw new helpers.DocumentCountExceededError(allFiles.length, maxDocuments);
       }
 
       pageToken = response.data.nextPageToken;
@@ -421,7 +352,7 @@ async function queryDocuments(options = {}) {
     return allFiles;
   } catch (error) {
     // Re-throw DocumentCountExceededError as-is
-    if (error instanceof DocumentCountExceededError) {
+    if (error instanceof helpers.DocumentCountExceededError) {
       throw error;
     }
 
@@ -436,200 +367,10 @@ async function queryDocuments(options = {}) {
   }
 }
 
-/**
- * Map Drive API error to HTTP status code and retry info
- *
- * Per specification:
- * - 429: Rate limit - include Retry-After header
- * - 503: Service unavailable - NO RETRY (fail immediately)
- * - 401: Authentication failed
- * - 500: Other errors
- *
- * @param {Error} error - Drive API error
- * @returns {Object} { statusCode, retryAfter? }
- */
-function mapDriveErrorToHttp(error) {
-  // Handle DocumentCountExceededError
-  if (error instanceof DocumentCountExceededError) {
-    return { statusCode: 413 };
-  }
-
-  // Extract status code from Drive API error
-  const statusCode = error.response?.status || error.code || 500;
-
-  // Handle rate limiting (429)
-  if (statusCode === 429) {
-    // Extract Retry-After from response headers if present
-    const retryAfter = error.response?.headers?.["retry-after"];
-    const retryAfterSeconds = retryAfter ? parseInt(retryAfter, 10) : 60;
-
-    return {
-      statusCode: 429,
-      retryAfter: retryAfterSeconds,
-    };
-  }
-
-  // Handle service unavailable (503) - NO RETRY per spec
-  if (statusCode === 503) {
-    return { statusCode: 503 };
-  }
-
-  // Handle authentication errors
-  if (statusCode === 401 || statusCode === 403) {
-    return { statusCode: statusCode };
-  }
-
-  // All other errors map to 500
-  return { statusCode: 500 };
-}
-
-/**
- * Validate document count against limit
- *
- * @param {number} count - Document count
- * @param {number} limit - Maximum allowed (default: 50000)
- * @throws {DocumentCountExceededError} If count > limit
- */
-function validateDocumentCount(count, limit = 50000) {
-  if (count > limit) {
-    throw new DocumentCountExceededError(count, limit);
-  }
-}
-
 // =============================================================================
-// Section 6: Sitemap Generation
+// Section 4: Request Handling & Routing
 // =============================================================================
 
-/**
- * Transform Drive document to sitemap entry
- *
- * Creates RESTful URL in format: {baseUrl}/documents/{documentId}
- * Per specification clarification #2.
- *
- * @param {Object} document - Drive API document
- * @param {string} document.id - Document ID
- * @param {string} document.modifiedTime - ISO 8601 timestamp
- * @param {string} baseUrl - Base URL for the adapter
- * @returns {Object} Sitemap entry { loc, lastmod }
- */
-function toSitemapEntry(document, baseUrl) {
-  if (!document || !document.id) {
-    console.error("Invalid document for sitemap entry", { document });
-    return null;
-  }
-
-  // RESTful URL format: /documents/{documentId}
-  const loc = `${baseUrl}/documents/${encodeURIComponent(document.id)}`;
-
-  // Format lastmod as ISO 8601 date (YYYY-MM-DD)
-  let lastmod;
-  if (document.modifiedTime) {
-    try {
-      const date = new Date(document.modifiedTime);
-      lastmod = date.toISOString().split("T")[0]; // Extract YYYY-MM-DD
-    } catch (error) {
-      console.error("Invalid modifiedTime for document", {
-        documentId: document.id,
-        modifiedTime: document.modifiedTime,
-      });
-      lastmod = new Date().toISOString().split("T")[0]; // Fallback to today
-    }
-  } else {
-    lastmod = new Date().toISOString().split("T")[0]; // Fallback to today
-  }
-
-  return { loc, lastmod };
-}
-
-/**
- * Transform array of Drive documents to sitemap entries
- *
- * @param {Array<Object>} documents - Array of Drive API documents
- * @param {string} baseUrl - Base URL for the adapter
- * @returns {Array<Object>} Array of sitemap entries
- */
-function transformDocumentsToSitemapEntries(documents, baseUrl) {
-  if (!Array.isArray(documents)) {
-    console.error("Documents must be an array", { documents });
-    return [];
-  }
-
-  return documents
-    .map((doc) => toSitemapEntry(doc, baseUrl))
-    .filter((entry) => entry !== null);
-}
-
-/**
- * Generate XML sitemap from sitemap entries
- *
- * Handles empty sitemap (0 documents) case - returns valid XML with empty urlset.
- *
- * @param {Array<Object>} sitemapEntries - Array of { loc, lastmod } objects
- * @returns {string} Complete XML sitemap string
- */
-function generateSitemapXML(sitemapEntries) {
-  let xml = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>\n';
-  xml += '<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">\n';
-
-  // Handle empty sitemap - valid XML with no <url> elements
-  if (!sitemapEntries || sitemapEntries.length === 0) {
-    xml += "</urlset>";
-    return xml;
-  }
-
-  for (const entry of sitemapEntries) {
-    xml += "  <url>\n";
-    xml += `    <loc>${escapeXml(entry.loc)}</loc>\n`;
-    xml += `    <lastmod>${escapeXml(entry.lastmod)}</lastmod>\n`;
-    xml += "  </url>\n";
-  }
-
-  xml += "</urlset>";
-
-  return xml;
-}
-
-/**
- * Main sitemap generation function
- *
- * Combines document transformation and XML generation.
- *
- * @param {Array<Object>} documents - Array of Drive API documents
- * @param {string} baseUrl - Base URL for the adapter
- * @returns {string} Complete XML sitemap
- */
-function generateSitemap(documents, baseUrl) {
-  const entries = transformDocumentsToSitemapEntries(documents, baseUrl);
-  return generateSitemapXML(entries);
-}
-
-// =============================================================================
-// Section 7: Request Handling & Routing
-// =============================================================================
-
-/**
- * Parse route from request
- * @param {string} method - HTTP method
- * @param {string} url - Request URL
- * @returns {Object} Route info or error
- */
-function parseRoute(method, url) {
-  if (method !== "GET") {
-    return { route: null, error: "Method not allowed", statusCode: 405 };
-  }
-
-  const urlObj = new URL(url, "http://localhost");
-  const path = urlObj.pathname;
-
-  // Match any path containing 'sitemap.xml'
-  if (path.includes("sitemap.xml")) {
-    return { route: "sitemap" };
-  }
-
-  // All other paths return 404
-  return { route: null, error: "Not found", statusCode: 404 };
-}
-
 /**
  * Handle sitemap generation request
  * Wrapped in FIFO queue to ensure sequential processing.
@@ -653,7 +394,7 @@ async function handleSitemapRequest(res, requestId) {
     });
 
     // Generate sitemap XML with RESTful URLs
-    const xml = generateSitemap(documents, settings.proxyScriptEndPoint);
+    const xml = helpers.generateSitemap(documents, settings.proxyScriptEndPoint);
 
     // Send successful response
     res.statusCode = 200;
@@ -668,7 +409,7 @@ async function handleSitemapRequest(res, requestId) {
     });
   } catch (error) {
     // Map Drive API error to HTTP status code
-    const errorResponse = mapDriveErrorToHttp(error);
+    const errorResponse = helpers.mapDriveErrorToHttp(error);
 
     res.statusCode = errorResponse.statusCode;
 
@@ -697,7 +438,7 @@ async function handleSitemapRequest(res, requestId) {
  * @param {Object} res - HTTP response object
  */
  (async () => {
-  const requestId = generateRequestId();
+  const requestId = helpers.generateRequestId();
   const startTime = Date.now();
 
   console.info("Request received", {
@@ -708,7 +449,7 @@ async function handleSitemapRequest(res, requestId) {
 
   try {
     // Parse route
-    const routeResult = parseRoute(req.method, req.url);
+    const routeResult = helpers.parseRoute(req.method, req.url);
 
     if (!routeResult.route) {
       res.statusCode = routeResult.statusCode;