The short answer
llms.txt is a proposed standard for a plain Markdown file at the root of your site, at /llms.txt. It gives AI tools a short summary of your business and links to your most useful pages. It was proposed in 2024. At the time of writing, no major AI platform has confirmed that it uses the file.
- llms.txt is a Markdown file at /llms.txt that summarizes your site for AI tools.
- The format is an H1 name, a short blockquote summary and H2 sections of links.
- Adoption by major AI platforms is not confirmed, so treat it as low-cost groundwork.
- It does not block or allow crawlers; robots.txt does that.
What does llms.txt do?
Websites are built for people, with menus, scripts and design. Large language models (LLMs) work better with clean, short text.
llms.txt offers that clean text. It is a curated guide that says who you are and which pages matter most.
The proposal is published at llmstxt.org. It is a suggestion from the community, not a rule set by any AI company.
Think of it as a short guidebook left at the front door. A visiting AI tool can read it first, then decide which pages to open.
It sits beside robots.txt and sitemap.xml, but it is written for reading, not for crawling rules. That is why it uses Markdown, a simple text format with headings and links.
What goes in an llms.txt file?
The proposal sets a simple structure. Only the H1 title is required, but most files use every part. Here is an example for a fictional clinic.
- An H1 with the name of the site or business.
- A blockquote with a one or two sentence summary.
- Optional paragraphs with key details.
- H2 sections, each a list of links with a short note.
- An “Optional” section for links an AI tool can skip when space is short.
# Brightside Dental > Family dental clinic in Denver offering check-ups, hygiene, > implants and same-day emergency appointments. We are open Monday to Saturday and accept most dental insurance plans. ## Services - [Dental implants](https://example.com/implants): Process, recovery and price ranges - [Emergency dentist](https://example.com/emergency): Same-day care and what to do first ## About - [Our team](https://example.com/team): Dentists and their qualifications - [Pricing](https://example.com/pricing): Fees for common treatments ## Optional - [Blog](https://example.com/blog): Patient guides and clinic news
Does llms.txt actually help with AI search?
Honestly, nobody outside the AI companies knows for sure. At the time of writing, OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and Perplexity have not confirmed they read it for answers.
Some developer tools and documentation sites do use it. It also costs little to create and keep current.
So treat it as cheap groundwork, not a visibility lever. Your pages, crawler access and third-party mentions matter far more today.
How is llms.txt different from robots.txt and sitemap.xml?
The three files sit side by side but do different jobs.
| File | What it does | Who reads it |
|---|---|---|
| robots.txt | Tells crawlers what they may fetch | Search engines and most AI crawlers |
| sitemap.xml | Lists URLs you want crawled | Search engines |
| llms.txt | Summarizes your site and key pages in Markdown | Unconfirmed; some AI tools and agents |
How to create an llms.txt file
WebValet's free check looks for an llms.txt file on your site. A free llms.txt generator is also on the WebValet tools page.
- 1
Pick your key pages
Choose the ten to thirty pages that best explain your business.
- 2
Write the summary
Describe what you do, for whom and where, in one or two sentences.
- 3
Group the links
Sort pages into H2 sections such as Services, Pricing and About.
- 4
Publish at the root
Save it as /llms.txt so it loads at yourdomain.com/llms.txt.
- 5
Keep it current
Update the file when you add, rename or remove key pages.
Common llms.txt mistakes
Most problems come from treating the file as something it is not.
- Placing it in a subfolder instead of the site root.
- Serving an HTML page or a redirect instead of plain text.
- Listing every URL on the site instead of the pages that matter.
- Expecting it to block AI crawlers. It has no such power.
- Letting it go stale after the site changes.
Who might read llms.txt today?
The clearest use today is AI agents and coding assistants. A developer can point one at a docs site's llms.txt to load the right pages quickly.
Some documentation platforms now generate the file automatically. That makes it common on developer and software sites.
For a local business or small company, the audience is less certain. The file still forces a useful exercise: deciding which pages truly explain what you do.
Questions people ask
Is llms.txt required?
No. It is an optional, proposed standard. Your site can be crawled and cited without one.
Does llms.txt replace robots.txt?
No, the two files do different jobs. The robots.txt file controls what crawlers may fetch. An llms.txt file only describes your site, and it grants or blocks nothing.
What is llms-full.txt?
It is a companion idea from the same proposal. It puts the full text of key pages into one file, often for documentation. It suits technical products more than most small business sites.
Will an llms.txt file get me cited by ChatGPT?
There is no evidence that it will, at the time of writing. It is a low-cost extra. Crawler access, clear pages and trusted mentions matter much more.
Can llms.txt hurt my site?
Not in any known way, as long as it is accurate. The main risk is wasted time or outdated links. Keep it short and review it when your key pages change.