AnswerReadyWhat is llms.txt? Format, example and template
Updated
llms.txt is cheap to add and easy to get right. It is also unproven. Here's what it is, how to write one and how much to expect from it.
What is llms.txt?
llms.txt is a proposed standard: a Markdown file at yoursite.com/llms.txt that gives AI tools a short summary of your site and links to its most important pages. It was proposed in September 2024 by Jeremy Howard of Answer.AI.
Do ChatGPT, Google or Claude use llms.txt?
Not officially, as of this writing. No major AI company has said its search crawlers read llms.txt, and Google has said it doesn't use it for Search. Developer tools and documentation sites use it more, so treat it as cheap, low-certainty extra credit rather than a ranking factor.
What is the llms.txt format?
A Markdown file with an H1 title, a short summary in a blockquote, optional notes, and H2 sections listing links with one-line descriptions.
# Smith Dental
> Family dentist in South Austin, TX, open since 2009. General, cosmetic and
> emergency dentistry; most PPO insurance accepted.
## Key pages
- [Services and prices](https://smithdental.example/services): cleanings, crowns, implants, whitening
- [Emergency dentist](https://smithdental.example/emergency): same-day appointments
- [Insurance](https://smithdental.example/insurance): plans we accept
- [About us](https://smithdental.example/about): our dentists and their credentials
- [Contact](https://smithdental.example/contact): 1 Main St, Austin TX, (512) 555-0100Should my business add an llms.txt file?
Yes if it takes you ten minutes, no if it takes priority over the basics. Allowing AI search crawlers, answering questions plainly and adding structured data all have far more evidence behind them.
Check your own site
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Frequently asked questions
Where do I put llms.txt?
At the root of your domain, so it loads at https://yourdomain.com/llms.txt, served as plain text or Markdown.
Is llms.txt the same as robots.txt?
No. robots.txt tells crawlers what they may fetch. llms.txt is a summary and reading list for AI tools; it grants or blocks nothing.
Related guides
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Every major AI crawler user agent (OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, Google, Apple, Microsoft and more), which ones affect AI search, and a copy-paste robots.txt.
AEO checklist
A practical answer engine optimization checklist: crawler access, rendering, structured data, answer-shaped content, entity details and freshness. The same 25 checks our free audit runs.
What is AEO?
AEO (answer engine optimization) means making your website easy for ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews and Claude to find, understand and cite. What it is, why it matters and where to start.