Blog · Apr 15, 2026
The llms.txt guide: what it is and whether you need one
llms.txt is a proposed, optional file that summarizes your site in plain text. Here is how to write one and how much to expect from it.
Key takeaways
- llms.txt is a proposed convention, not a formal standard, and support among AI assistants is still limited and unconfirmed.
- Fewer than 1% of the sites in our study have one, so it is rare, not proven to matter.
- If you add one, keep it short, factual and linked. Fix the basics first: crawler access, titles and descriptions, headings and an FAQ.
What it is
llms.txt was proposed by Jeremy Howard of Answer.AI. It's a Markdown file at the root of your site that summarizes what the site is about in plain text that language models can read directly. Where robots.txt says what crawlers may do, llms.txt suggests what is worth reading.
Should you bother?
Be realistic about what it does. The idea is that a curated summary saves an AI system from piecing together your facts from scattered pages. But AI companies haven't broadly confirmed that their systems read llms.txt files, so we treat it as an optional, low-effort extra. It takes about 15 minutes, it can't hurt, and a clear summary of your business is useful to people too. It shouldn't come before the fixes that affect how every crawler reads your pages.
The format
Plain Markdown with an H1 (your site name), a short summary in a blockquote, then H2 sections with links. Link generously, so every claim points to the page that supports it. Keep it factual: this is text a model may quote.
A full example
``` # Acme Plumbing
Acme Plumbing is a residential plumbing company serving
Pittsburgh, PA since 1998. Licensed and insured (PA #12345).
## Services
- Drain cleaning: flat-rate,
same-day service within city limits.
- Water heaters: repair and
replacement, 6-year warranty on installs.
- Emergency repairs: 24/7,
$95 diagnostic fee waived with repair.
## Service area
Pittsburgh, Mt. Lebanon, Dormont, Bethel Park and Peters Township.
## Contact
- Phone: (412) 555-0140
- Request a quote
```
Where to put it
At the root of your domain: https://yoursite.com/llms.txt, served as plain text or Markdown. A file in a subfolder such as /docs/ is unlikely to be found. Don't block it in robots.txt.
Common mistakes
- Marketing copy instead of facts. "World-class solutions" says nothing. Prices, areas, hours and license numbers do.
- Stale information. Update the file when your prices or hours change.
- No links. A summary with no links is a dead end.
- Hiding it somewhere other than the root.
How CrawlReady handles it
Every scan checks whether /llms.txt exists and reports it as an optional item. If you don't have one, our free llms.txt generator can draft a starter file from your site's content.