llms.txt
llms.txt is a proposed convention: a plain-text file at a site's root that gives AI systems a curated map of the site's most important content. It helps AI tools that choose to read it; per Google's own guidance, it has no effect on Google Search rankings or Google's AI features.
The file acts as a table of contents for AI tools: it identifies important pages, explains what the business does, and points to canonical information. Tools that support the convention can use this curated list; other tools ignore it. Serving the file adds little cost, but support remains limited.
The file uses Markdown rather than robots-style directives. A useful version opens with the business name and a sentence about what it does, then lists important pages with a short description of each. Those descriptions help a tool choose relevant pages; a bare link list provides little more than a sitemap.
Some vendors present llms.txt as an SEO tool, but Google has said AI text files do not affect Search. The file is an optional aid for AI readers, and adoption among major providers remains partial and often undocumented.
Publishing one may help a compatible AI reader find the right pages and describe a business accurately. It will not improve rankings, and unsupported tools will ignore it. Because the file is quick to create and inexpensive to serve, that limited potential benefit may justify publishing it.
Do not place secrets, private URLs, or instructions in the file. It is public, voluntary guidance rather than an access-control mechanism. Use authentication and server rules to protect content.
Keep the file current. If it points to moved or removed pages, compatible tools receive incorrect guidance. Create one with the free llms.txt generator, and see the llms.txt guide for more detail.
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